Pride and Pre-Op
by SGMackenzie
Summary: Lizzie and Jane Bennet, two Chicago OR nurses, must deal with the arrival of two new surgeons and the impact it has on their lives. All characters and over-arching story based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Enjoy
1. Chapter 1

Prologue  
It is truly acknowledged that a man with a fortune must be in want of a wife. Mrs. Bennet believed this with every ounce of her being. Keeping that in mind, she pushed her daughters to be the best they could be. Whether it came to grades, sports, or even their physical appearance, she wanted them to be at the top. Of course, most people would agree that no one can excel in every area. Mrs. Bennet, however, was not most people, and still drilled that ideal and goal into her daughter's lives.

Jane, the eldest, was her clear favorite. Pretty and patient, Jane received her mother's attention with humility while insisting she still had much to learn. That was Jane. She had the softest, kindest voice that truly conveyed her angel spirit. Her goodness had seemingly rewarded her with talent and beauty in equal measure, as well as the work ethic and determination to become an operating room nurse.

Mary, who was 3rd, was a musical prodigy with no social skills. Although unapologetically smart, she was completely unaware of her awkwardness. To make up for it, once her hands hit her violin all that faded away. So, despite her plain appearance and no social aspects, Mrs. Bennet always gave her an approving nod.

Kitty and Lydia. Well, there was no reason to separate the two. Mrs. Bennet clearly had given up trying to control these two. It is said that parents become lazy when it comes to the younger children and it was certainly true in this case. Kitty and Lydia ran their own lives, resulting in them doing exactly what they pleased, which was, in short: boys. Everything was about boys, and Mrs. Bennet gave in to every little fancy with a pleasing smile and a helping hand.

Lizzie was the second eldest but mentioned last because she was, in no doubt, her mother's least favorite. Although just as accomplished as Jane in her career, Lizzie fell short in her mother's eyes. In her father's eyes, though, Lizzie was first. She had developed similar interests to his, including books and hot chocolate in the quiet of a study. Do not suppose, merely because Lizzie often preferred the company of a book, that she did not have a strong personality. Lizzie's personality constantly was the source of the strife between her mother and her. Her father often smiled at these exchanges for Lizzie had quick wit that few rivaled and which gave Mrs. Bennet discomfort and Mr. Bennet a good laugh. Jane, being the peacemaker, would attempt to find a solution on which both Mrs. Bennet and Lizzie could agree.

Despite the vast differences in temperament between Jane and Lizzie, they had always been best friends. Only one year apart, they attended the same college and pursued the same major. Graduating a year apart, they both got employed at the same hospital and left home to get an apartment in the city.

Charlotte Lucas had found the apartment in the same building as her own. Charlotte was also a nurse at the hospital and, although she was a few years older, they had become friends. Lizzie and Charlotte especially had grown close. Everything was perfect for Lizzie. She slept, worked, hung with her sister and best friend, and slept more. She was content. Despite her mother's efforts to find her a man, Lizzie was living the dream.

Life was blissful. Blissful indeed, until Dr. Bingley came to town.

Chapter 1

The early morning sun strayed between buildings as Lizzie boarded the subway. She worked days at the hospital and she always rode the subway to save money. She nodded at a few regulars that she rode with. Plugging in her headphones, she put on her morning playlist.

This was her escape. Each morning on her way to work, she would listen to her music and disappear into her own world. An established introvert, Lizzie needed the break from people to remain sane throughout the day. Working as an OR nurse was a stressful job which wasn't easy to come away from. So, like clockwork every morning, Lizzie got into the zone with her music. Then, on her way home, into her music she went again to end the day. Along with her music, she often read, did Sudoku, or crossword puzzles. She often craved that time. Her alone time with her thoughts and emotions.

When she arrived at the hospital, Lizzie went straight to her locker where she was greeted by her good friend, Charlotte, who looked very excited.

"Lizzie!" she squealed clapping her hands together, "I have the most amazing news!"

"What's up?" Lizzie said wrapping up her headphones and placing them in her locker. She grabbed a hair tie and quickly pulled her hair back.

"You know how they're expanding the surgery floor," started Charlotte.

"Really? You mean all the fundraising and remodeling was meant for that?" Lizzie remarked sarcastically.

Charlotte gave her an annoyed look, "I don't have time for your sarcasm right now Lizzie. Please, you need to hear this!"

"I'm sorry Charlotte. You usually appreciate my morning sarcasm. Tell me what's up."

"They're bringing in Dr. Charles Bingley and Dr. Fitzwilliam!" she burst out breathlessly.

"Wait, really?"

"Yes! Our hospital is receiving two of the best surgeons in our country. Can you believe it?"

"How'd we pull that off?," asked Lizzie as she and Charlotte left the locker room.

"Not sure, I guess Dr. Gardiner made it happen."

"Have you seen Jane?"

"No," said Charlotte, "she came in just a few hours ago, right? So what do you think?"

"I think I wanted to say hello. I hate it when we work different shifts," said Lizzie.

"No, not about that. What do you think about Dr. Bingley and Dr. Fitzwilliam?"

"They're surgeons. We work in surgery. I've seen one occasionally."

"Come on Lizzie, they're not just surgeons. They're some of the best in their field and we get to work with them! Isn't that exciting?" protested Charlotte.

"Sure," said Lizzie, heading towards the main desk where check nurse Mrs. Gardiner was standing working on schedules.

"Morning," said Lizzie, "Is Jane around?"

"Yes, she just left OR 2. I think she wanted to freshen up." Mrs. Gardiner handed Lizzie a schedule for the day. "How are my favorite OR nurses?"

"We're fine," said Charlotte, "Just excited about the news."

"You along with the rest of my nursing staff," muttered Mrs. Gardiner.

"What does that mean?" asked Lizzie.

"I've already had nurse after nurse asking about them. I wouldn't have half as much hassle if they weren't single." She emphasized the last word in distaste.

"Oh, goodness gracious," sighed Lizzie, rolling her eyes. "This is why surgeons don't respect nurses…the minute that a new surgeon comes walking in here, we become pimped out Barbie dolls with no brains who will do anything to get a man…or surgeon in this case."

"Rant accepted. I'll second that with telling you that I need you at our party tonight to welcome them, Lizzie," added Mrs. Gardiner.

"Uh, no," said Lizzie defiantly turning and walking away.

"Elizabeth…please," called Mrs. Gardiner chasing after her. "I need a nurse who will act responsibly and show some class and not fall in love with them. Can't you see that you're my only hope?"

"Pish posh, Charlotte and Jane will do just fine."

"Jane is already going and Charlotte will come if you do."

"Excuse me, I have my own life," interjected Charlotte in mock protest.

"I'm sorry, Charlotte. Would you like to come to our house tonight for a welcoming party?"

"Why yes, I would. Thanks."

"We'll see you at seven Charlotte…and Lizzie, I expect to see you too," said Mrs. Gardiner as she turned and walked away.

"Ugh…I hate parties," said Lizzie.

"It's the perfect chance to wear my new dress," said Charlotte, ignoring Lizzie.

"Yeah. I think I'll wear my scrubs."

"No, you won't Lizzie," said Jane, coming up behind and giving her a side hug. "You can borrow something from me. Maybe some nice heels."

"Ah, my favorite times," said Lizzie with resignation. "Going to parties and wearing heels."

"This isn't like college. This will be with your friends," said Charlotte.

"We could even make this a girls' night," interjected Jane, "We'll do our nails and each other's hair!"

"Definitely," replied Charlotte.

Lizzie rolled her eyes and snorted. Jane gave her sister an even bigger hug.

"You know you love them. Besides, if I do your nails then you don't have to do them."

"Silver lining," smiled Lizzie, and nodded with a shrug. "Fine, I'm off at 3."

"Perfect."

Although Lizzie hated to admit it, it was perfect. They went for a quick shopping trip on which Jane and Charlotte convinced Lizzie to spend money on a new black dress. She moaned about it at first, but when she tried it on, she was pleasantly surprised by her appearance. Wearing scrubs all day, and often changing into sweats when she got home, she rarely dressed up. Moaning a little less, Lizzie even began to look forward to the approaching party.  
It wasn't like Lizzie hated all things girly. True, she was a tomboy at heart, but she still wore makeup and had cute clothes. She just believed that things needed to be comfy and cute at the same time. Heels were not comfortable so therefore she hardly ever wore them. Jane gave such a sad face when she refused to wear heels that Lizzie soon gave in.

Finally, after hours of laughing and spending time with her two best friends, they were ready to go. Jane, wearing a light blue dress, was the star of the trio. Her natural smile and beautiful blue eyes made her all but impossible to compete with. Lizzie had refused too much fuss so her hair was simply straightened, but Charlotte added some mousse, making her hair shine.

As Lizzie slipped on her new black dress, she was again pleasantly surprised by the girl in the mirror. Having a sister as beautiful as Jane, Lizzie was rarely the center of attention, but felt that in this dress she could just about give Jane a run for her money. Lizzie laughed at herself. As if that would ever happen.

Charlotte was waiting at the door. She wore a simple dark green dress with her hair in a bun and she smiled as Lizzie approached, "Lizzie, you look amazing!"

"Thanks!"

"Both of you look wonderful" said Jane grabbing the keys, "Are we all set?"

"I think so," said Charlotte, "I'll ride with you guys if that's okay. Unless, you two pick up dates and want to be alone."

"Huh, as if that would happen. Well, to me anyway," said Lizzie, looking at Jane who missed her meaning.

Arriving at the Gardiners house, Lizzie was surprised by the number of cars. They had to park two blocks away which made Lizzie complain again about her heels. Mrs. Gardiner greeted them at the door. They were thrown for a minute by the size of the house and the number of people in the house.

"I didn't know their house was so big," whispered Jane, "Or that there would be so many people here."

"It's all good, I'll protect you," Lizzie replied. Inwardly she groaned. She too was intimidated by large groups of people. The difference was, while Jane became quiet, Lizzie talked more to cover her shyness. Lizzie took Jane's hand and led her through the crowd of people. When they emerged out of the crowd, Lizzie noticed that Jane held Charlotte's hand. Lizzie laughed.

"How pathetic are we? We are physically attached to each other," said Lizzie releasing Jane's hand.

"I would have lost you in that crowd if we hadn't been," retorted Charlotte while Jane nodded in agreement.

"Oh, good. Drinks," said Lizzie pointing them out. Both Charlotte and Lizzie grabbed wine, but Jane shook her head at the offer.

"I'm on call," she said holding up her phone which she was keeping close to her person in case she was needed.

"Okay. What now?"

"I don't know," said Charlotte, "Are the guests of honor even here?"

"Beats me," said Lizzie. "I'm only here as a favor to the Gardiners."

"It might not be a terrible idea to make a good impression with the new surgeons Lizzie," teased Jane, smiling.

Lizzie shrugged. They were soon greeted by several fellow nurses who immediately took them into conversation. Lizzie said very little. This was completely out of her element. She hated parties. She had always hated them.  
Keeping minimal attention on the conversation, Lizzie began people-watching, her one solace in large gatherings. Caught up in deciphering the nuances of gestures and looks, Lizzie hardly noticed when the doorbell rang once more.

She was awakened from her thoughts when Dr. Gardiner whistled to get everyone's attention. Lizzie turned to see three people standing together with him. Two were red heads. The first was male and he smiled at the crowd around him. The female red head looked about with a smugness she did not bother to disguise. The last man was practically hiding behind the other two, making it difficult for Lizzie to steal a glance.

"Thank you all so much for coming," said Dr. Gardiner, "Now, I would like to introduce some new faces to you. I am honored to say they will be joining us in our new surgical wing. Dr. Charles Bingley! He's a cardiothoracic surgeon."Dr. Bingley, the red headed man, waved genially to the crowd in response to the clapping. Lizzie figured he seemed friendly enough. Dr. Gardiner continued. "His sister Caroline Bingley."

The red headed girl smiled a little and raised her hand but quickly put it down. Lizzie had guessed correctly about their relation, and was fairly confident that the sister would be markedly less friendly than her brother.

"And our other new arrival Dr. Fitzwilliam, a neurosurgeon!"

The biggest applause was for Dr. Fitzwilliam, although it died out fairly quickly when he didn't even acknowledge it in the slightest.

"Make sure you give them the warmest welcome," concluded Dr. Gardiner. "Please, everyone, enjoy yourselves!"

With that, the chaos of the party continued. The nurses around Lizzie started chatting in earnest, rapidly confirming Mrs. Gardiner's fears and making Lizzie want to groan.

"Oh my word. They're both hot."

"Should I introduce myself or is that too forward."

"What kind of wine do you think they would like."

"Did you see his eyes?"

Lizzie couldn't take it any longer so she grabbed Jane and Charlotte and led them away from the herd of chicks.

"Wow, I can't believe our education system passed them to be in the medical field," said Lizzie taking a rather large sip of her wine.

"Lizzie, they're just excited," scolded Jane.

"Why? We see surgeons every day and frankly, most of them are not nice people."

"Dr. Gardiner is."

"The exception that proves the rule," retorted Lizzie.

"Come on, Lizzie. Girls like to get excited about guys," soothed Charlotte, smiling at her aggravated friend.

"I know, I just wish we didn't lose our heads when we did."

"Like a chicken," added Charlotte, which caused them all to snicker.

"Exactly," said Lizzie, feeling some of the tension go out of her. "Thanks for making me laugh, Charlotte. I needed that."

"Any time."

"Just promise me you'll be civil when we meet them," said Jane.

"Isn't that a bit presumptuous of you? Who's knows if they'll even talk to us." said Lizzie.

"Not really," said Jane shaking her head and gesturing behind Lizzie. "Here they come now."

Lizzie turned to see Dr. Gardiner steering his way towards them. He was followed closely by Dr. Bingley and a little ways behind was Dr. Fitzwilliam.

"Dr. Bingley, allow me to introduce some of our best OR nurses," began Dr. Gardiner. "This is Jane and Lizzie Bennet. Yes, they're sisters. And on the end there is Charlotte Lucas."

"It is certainly a pleasure," said Dr. Bingley, giving each of them a smile. Lizzie noticed with amusement that his eyes returned quite quickly to Jane, who blushed under his intense stare.

"Pleasure is ours," replied Jane giving him a smile which caused Bingley to blush in turn.

"Here we go again. Guy meets Jane. Guy likes Jane," whispered Lizzie out of the side of her mouth. Charlotte stifled a laugh, but couldn't help the grin that appeared.

"What was that?" asked Dr. Gardiner.

"I was asking Dr. Bingley a question," Lizzie quickly recovered, smiling at Bingley.

"I'm sorry I missed it. Mind repeating it?" Mr. Bingley asked kindly.

"How do you like Chicago?"

"Very much, the city is beautiful at night. I'm looking forward to some sightseeing when I have time."

"Ambitious. I've heard surgeons never have enough time," joked Lizzie.

"I choose to be optimistic. Excuse me, where did you get the wine? I could use a glass after meeting so many new faces." Bingley smiled at them all, but he directed his question quite clearly to Jane.

"I'd be happy to show you, Dr. Bingley," she replied, smiling innocently.

"Charles," he corrected, with yet another smile. Lizzie couldn't help smiling at the two of them as they walked off together.

Their absence allowed Dr. Gardiner to draw Dr. Fitzwilliam closer into the circle. Seeing him up close for the first time, even Lizzie had to admit something. Wow! He was good looking, but boy did he look depressed. He looked no one in the eye and acted as though Charlotte and Lizzie were invisible. Lizzie sighed inwardly but, knowing they would be working together, tried speaking to him.

"So, Dr. Fitzwilliam. Have you ever been to Chicago before?" she asked, trying a similar approach to that she had with Bingley, with a smile that was more difficult than a moment before.

"No, I have not." He finally spared her a glance as he replied, but made no effort to engage.

"So, what do you think?"

"It's cold."

"Yeah, well it's the Midwest. It's what we're known for," joked Lizzie, trying to catch his eye, but he simply nodded and looked away. Lizzie decided she had put in enough effort.

"Charlotte, let's go try some appetizers," said Lizzie, taking Charlotte's hand.

"Yes, thank you Dr. Gardiner for the party and it was nice to meet you Dr. Fitzwilliam." said Charlotte in a rush as Lizzie led her away. He ignored her while Dr. Gardiner smiled and thanked them for coming.  
In another room back near the food, some music had been turned on and dancing had started. Lizzie laughed at some of her coworkers inebriated attempts at the latest dance moves. Her laughter cut off when she saw with surprise that Bingley and Jane were dancing together. Lizzie smiled as she saw Jane laughing and having a good time.

"Well, I like Bingley," said Lizzie grabbing an appetizer.

"Me too, and it seems Jane does as well," Charlotte said with a smirk at the couple.

"I'm happy for her. Bingley seems awesome and goodness knows, she deserves someone awesome."

Charlotte nodded in agreement right before some nurses pulled her onto the dance floor. She waved at Lizzie to come, too. Lizzie shook her head laughing. She watched for a while, taking it all in, and even clapped along and cheered at times.

She looked across the room to see Dr. Fitzwilliam standing by himself talking to no one. He looked so pathetic. Most surgeons were pathetic at parties so Lizzie wasn't sure why she expected any different.

The dancing grew crazier and Lizzie decided to find some fresh air before she was pulled in to join. Checking on Jane, who was still spending time with Bingley, she left Charlotte dancing and made her way outside. She decided she would just walk around the house. The chill air normally would have bothered her without a coat, but after the crowded house, she welcomed the coolness. Lizzie stood in the cold air for about ten minutes before looking at her watch. It was almost 11 and all three of them worked tomorrow. She turned back towards the house.

Just when she was about to reach the front of the house, she heard voices.

"Will, I don't understand how you can just stand there and not talk to anyone," said Bingley.

"I don't know anyone," said Fitzwilliam testily.

"Well, talk to someone then. There are lots of pretty girls here you know."

"I know you know that, you seemed to be enjoying yourself with the prettiest one here."

"I adore her already," said Bingley, and Lizzie's heart warmed at his honesty.

"Come on Will," he continued. "Why don't you ask a girl to dance? How about Jane's sister Lizzie? She's quite lovely as well."

"Please Charles, she's average at best."

Lizzie's insides steamed with anger and part of her wanted to walk out right then, but Jane's voice of reason came into her head. Never do things in anger.

"You're impossible. You're going to come in with me and you're going to talk to Jane."

"Fine," snapped a clearly irritated Fitzwilliam.

Lizzie waited until they both went inside before she made her way in. She walked into the house and found Charlotte near the drinks.

"You will not believe what Dr. Fitzwilliam just said about me."

"What?" asked Charlotte, pouring Lizzie a drink.

"Average. He said I'm average looking at best. And with such a tone of…" Lizzie crossed her arms, unable to continue.

"Wow, that is so rude! And so untrue."

"Yeah, I wanted to slap him. Or maybe just go up behind him and hit him in the back of the knee so he falls."

"Very mature," said Charlotte laughing.

Jane appeared at Lizzie's side which meant that Charles was close behind as well.

"I just got a call to go into the hospital," said Jane.

"Oh, do you need a ride?" asked Lizzie. "I'll find my coat."

"No, Bingley, I mean, Charles," stammered Jane, her cheeks turning pink. "He's going to give me a ride."

"Sounds good." Lizzie didn't even try to hide her smile.

Caroline and Fitzwilliam appeared with their coats. Lizzie turned away pointedly.

"It was a pleasure meeting both of you," said Bingley, reaching out to shake Lizzie and Charlotte's hands. "I wish I could have had the chance to dance with you both."

"Raincheck," said Lizzie raising her glass.

"I don't know how you could dance in here," scowled Caroline Bingley with a hard look at her brother.

"It was fun," replied Bingley shrugging his shoulders.

"It's crowded," said Fitzwilliam quietly, and Caroline nodded. Bingley laughed and bid everyone farewell. As Fitzwilliam walked past her Lizzie spoke quietly so only he and Charlotte could hear her.

"Yeah, and you wouldn't want your partner to be…well…average."

Dr. Fitzwilliam turned to look at her sharply as Charlotte choked on her drink behind them. Lizzie stared back, determined not to break eye contact. He held her gaze. His eyes were so dark that Lizzie got lost in them for a moment but quickly recovered and took a drink of her wine, while still holding his gaze. Fitzwilliam was the first to look away, glancing at the floor and clearly contemplating saying something. Lizzie tapped her foot waiting. He simply bid them a good night and walked after Caroline. Lizzie smirked.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Dr. Fitzwilliam!" she called to his departing back. She then turned and grabbed Charlotte, still coughing and in shock, and they walked back to the party.

Neither of them noticed Fitzwilliam turn and watch them walk away.


	2. Chapter 2

"Lizzie, I can't believe you did that," said Charlotte, out of breath as they made their way into their apartment.

"Did what?"

"You just insulted our new co-worker."

"Please, I didn't insult him. I just let him know that I heard what he said and I'm not going to be walked all over," said Lizzie tossing her jacket on the counter.

"You're so much braver than I would be," said Charlotte sinking onto the couch.

"That's the problem," said Lizzie hopping from one foot to the other trying to remove her heels, "Surgeons have a god complex that drives me nuts. They think we nurses should be kissing their feet in gratitude for their existence."

"I agree Lizzie…but that doesn't mean you have to be rude back."

"I wasn't rude."

Charlotte snorted.

"Fine, maybe I could have been nicer," admitted Lizzie as she took a seat in her favorite chair by the window.

"That's all I was trying to say," Charlotte said, before glancing at her watch. "Well, that's it for me. I'll see you at work tomorrow. Still taking the subway?"

"Yup."

When Charlotte left, Lizzie quickly changed out of her dress into slacks and a t-shirt. She texted Jane to see when she would be home and then plopped down in her chair with a book. She kept checking her phone every few minutes waiting for Jane to respond. Just as she was about to give up and go to bed, Lizzie heard the door. Jane walked in her face glowing. She was also humming. She stopped abruptly seeing Lizzie watching her.

"Hello, Lizzie," she said brushing her hair behind her ears. "I didn't think you would still be up."

"Good night, huh?"

"Yeah, I got to the hospital and then they didn't need me so Charles-I mean Dr. Bingley-bought me some coffee in the cafeteria and we talked for a bit," she said taking a seat.

"Hmm, and how did that go," Lizzie asked, fighting to maintain an attitude of indifference.

"It was…fine."

"Really?"

Jane caught her eye and both girls broke into huge smiles.

"Oh Lizzie," said Jane grabbing Lizzie and pulling her onto the couch with her. "It was so wonderful. I think we could have kept talking all night except he had to work tomorrow morning."

"Don't you mean this morning," said Lizzie, showing Jane the time on her phone. Jane's eyebrows shot up as she realized it was well past midnight.

"Oh my goodness, I didn't even realize! I feel so bad now."

"No, you don't," smirked Lizzie.

"No, really, I do. It's his first day and he's going to be exhausted."

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Now, dish on your new guy!" Lizzie demanded as she pulled a blanket over the both of them.

"Well…first things first. He is a surgeon. ("Really," said Lizzie sarcastically.") He graduated from Stanford at the top of his class and then went to medical school where he also finished the top of his class."

"Wow…handsome AND smart."

Jane continued to ignore her and went on. "He spent some time abroad traveling with Dr. Fitzwilliam. They've been best friends since college. When they were there, they did a bunch of charity for the kids in Africa."

"That's so awesome."

"I know! And he comes from a great family. He loves his parents, and talks to them every week. Sometimes even multiple times a week. He's got two sisters, one older, one younger, who he loves very much. Caroline, the younger one, she was at the party tonight, did you see her?"

"Briefly," said Lizzie not wanting to focus on her dislike of the sister.

"She's staying with him right now. Isn't that so nice? He's willing to let his sister stay with him," said Jane dreamily.

"Wow, a man that treats his sister right…goodness, this guy is a dream, Jane" said Lizzie, smiling at her, "Plus, he's pretty." Jane blushed and buried her face in her hands.

"What's wrong?" asked Lizzie.

"I don't' know," said Jane, removing her hands from her face. "It's hard to explain."

"Try."

Jane shook her head reluctantly but looked at Lizzie who gave her an encouraging smile. She visibly gave in and was fighting the courage to say it when Lizzie said it for her.

"Girl, you got it bad."

"That obvious?" asked Jane nervously.

"No," said Lizzie firmly. "I just know you better than anyone."

They sat in silence for a while, lost in their own thoughts. Lizzie kept glancing at her sister, who was smiling more than ever. Which, Lizzie thought, was saying a lot for Jane, who was a constant source of happiness. Lizzie could also sense that Jane was fighting for the courage to say how she really felt. It had become more difficult for Jane to express these emotions. Ever since Dale.

Dale had been Jane's college boyfriend. At her very first college party, Dale had approached her and they started dating a few weeks later. Dale, a junior to her freshman, graduated two years later. Determined to stay together, they maintained a long distance had expressed her doubts about Dale. He didn't seem to be as committed as Jane was. Jane readily defended her boyfriend so Lizzie kept supporting Jane.

During the summer before Jane's senior year of college, Lizzie was forced to admit she was wrong about Dale. He proposed. Jane was beyond happy as she began planning a summer wedding. It was perfect.  
Also perfect was the surprise Christmas trip that Jane had planned. Lizzie had gone with her to surprise Dale. She still shivered at the memory. Arriving at his apartment, Jane had knocked on the door…only to have another woman open the door. She had been dressed in Dale's bathrobe…with nothing underneath.

Jane had recovered outwardly, but her heart was forever affected. She was unable to express her feelings openly when it came to guys. This fact had kept her single, despite many guys trying. Lizzie, silently, had been praying that the perfect guy would come that would allow her sister's heart to be permanently fixed.

Lizzie glanced at Jane who was squeezing her hands together. The squeezing was a habit Lizzie loved to watch. It meant Jane was deep in thought. Finally, she spoke."I really like him Lizzie…like…I think I may have met the one."

The one. The one was a big deal for the two sisters. All growing up, as Jane and Lizzie had played together, they would always tease each other about the "one". For Jane, it had always been Prince Charming, for Lizzie, Robin Hood. But, as they grew older, they listened to their father's advice. He said it simply. "Choose a man that treats his mother and his sisters right. Because one day that will be how he treats you."

Jane and Lizzie would ask him how they would know. He would smile and say in a quiet but firm voice."You'll know when it's right."

Jane was sitting quietly, waiting for her sister's reaction. Lizzie smiled and whispered, "I'll go get the calendar."

Just like that, Lizzie was gone in a flash while Jane laughed. Mrs. Gardiner had once showed them her husband calendar. It had every important milestone in her and Dr. Gardiner's relationship. The first day they met, their first date, their first kiss, and the list went on. Jane had glowed over every detail while Lizzie looked on with some interest. Personally, she thought it was a bit much. She even voiced her opinion. Mrs. Gardiner had chuckled and told her to just wait until she had found the "one".  
Lizzie rejoined Jane and handed her both the calendar and a pen. Jane hesitated. Lizzie took her sister's hands in her own.

"It's time, Jane. It's time to take a leap," Lizzie said softly.

"I know. I just want to be sure he feels the same way. I, I don't want to get hurt again."

"He likes you Jane," said Lizzie patiently. "I saw the way his eyes kept going straight to you all night at the party. It's mutual."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Jane, with her sister's encouragement, wrote on the calendar.

October 21th, 2010. Met Charles Bingley.

Walking into the hospital the next morning, Lizzie's headphones remained in as she waved to several people. Charlotte, arriving at the same time, spotted her and immediately linked arms with her as Lizzie handed her one of her ear buds.  
In the quiet of the locker room, Lizzie took out the headphones and Jackson 5 started blaring.

"Good morning Lizzie," laughed Charlotte as Lizzie swayed, pulling her hair up into a pony tail.

"Morning," said Lizzie, spinning.

"You're in a good mood."

"I am," agreed Lizzie. "I feel empowered this morning."

"Really? I feel scared, considering-" began Charlotte, but was interrupted.

"Miss Bennet, would you mind turning off that ruckus."

Lizzie stopped abruptly in the midst of swaying her hips, as she turned and was met by Dr. Fitzwilliam's judgmental stare. With obvious dislike, Lizzie turned off the music dramatically, giving Dr. Fitzwilliam the evil eye right back.

"Thank you. In the future, I would prefer you were here earlier than 8:00," he said looking at his watch.

"Really, why is that?"

"We are scheduled to begin at 8. If you're arriving at 8, then we won't begin at 8."

"Sounds good," said Charlotte sensing Lizzie's enflamed attitude, "We'll do our best to change that Dr. Fitzwilliam."

Lizzie shrugged and turned back to her locker. She grabbed her I.D. and placed around her neck. Dr. Fitzwilliam had begun listing the way he liked his surgical tools to be laid out as Charlotte wrote everything down. That was technically part of their job. They were to make sure the surgeon had all the tools he needed and wanted. Lizzie detested it, unless it was Dr. Gardiner, who was her friend as well as colleague. The rest of the surgeons talked to Charlotte and her like they were servants. Never a please or thank you out of any of them.

"Miss Bennet."

"Lizzie," she said without thinking, and she looked at Dr. Fitzwilliam.

"I prefer Miss Bennet when we are working," he said coldly and turned leaving the locker room.

Lizzie stared after him. Just what the hospital needed, another arrogant surgeon who treated their nurses with disdain. Plus, he had already insulted her, which made working for him twice as humiliating.

"Lizzie, we need to be careful on his setup. He has a lot of specific demands," said Charlotte, looking down at the paper that she had filled out.

"Of course he does."

Dr. Fitzwilliam was known across the United States as being the best neurosurgeon around. They were fortunate to get him. Right? Lizzie would have to work hard to convince herself of that.

"We need to get started," said Charlotte rolling up her sleeves, "He has a surgery soon."

Lizzie didn't answer as she glanced into her magnetic mirror that hung in her locker. Average. The word stung at the memory. Normally, his words wouldn't have bothered her. A random man's opinion mattered little to Lizzie's self-esteem. But the opinions that did matter to Lizzie were in her professional work. Now, her boss thought her average, and for some reason, Lizzie was bothered by it. She shut her locker with a bang.

"Let's go," she said bravely to Charlotte, who started going over what they would need.

Lizzie was sure of one thing. She would show him that she was anything but average.

Dr. Fitzwilliam's demands were a little more detailed, but fairly normal for a surgeon, were in not for the fact that Lizzie felt his eyes following them, and she felt certain that he was waiting for them to make a mistake. Taking initiative, she called up Dr. Fitzwilliam's old hospital and managed to get ahold of Dr. Fitzwilliam's old OR nurse. The OR nurse spent the first few minutes raving about Dr. Fitzwilliam's ability before Lizzie, trying to be as pleasant as possible, managed to ask how she had done things when working with Dr. Fitzwilliam.

The OR nurse gave Lizzie some advice, but nothing special until she added one strange thing that Darcy had left off the list. Smiling to herself, Lizzie thanked her and hung up the phone. She then told Charlotte she would be back in time for inspection. Running to the front desk, she found Mrs. Gardiner.

"Do you still have a blender in your locker?"

"Yes, I do," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Hungry all of the sudden?"

"Can I borrow it?" asked Lizzie, heading toward the lockers without waiting for the answer.

"Of course. You look like you're on a mission," she called to Lizzie's retreating back.

"Nope, not a mission. A war," said Lizzie, grinning.

Twenty minutes later Dr. Fitzwilliam came to inspect his pre-surgery kit. They both stood there, ready for his criticism. He paused and checked the tools. He took his sweet time which infuriated Lizzie. She knew he was doing this simply to put them in a state of panic, but Lizzie would not give him the satisfaction.

Lizzie glanced at Charlotte who was watching Dr. Fitzwilliam with a look of longing approval. Lizzie smiled at her reassuringly. They would get approval. She had a missile up her sleeve that would end her imaginary war.

"Acceptable," he said after a time, "You'll get better in time." He then turned and started to walk towards the OR.

"Dr. Fitzwilliam," said Lizzie, walking after him holding something behind her back. He turned back to her looking down at his watch.

"Time is everything in this profession, Miss Bennet." Lizzie smiled a little devilishly.

"I just didn't want you to forget your strawberry smoothie," said Lizzie, producing it from behind her back. Charlotte looked on with curiosity.

Lizzie enjoyed the fleeting look of surprise on Dr. Fitzwilliam's face. He took the shake and looked at her questioningly.

"I called your old OR nurse just to make sure we would have everything right," said Lizzie smiling. "She told me you always drink a small strawberry smoothie in the morning before an operation."

Dr. Fitzwilliam said nothing but he looked at her quizzically. After an uncomfortable silence, (uncomfortable for him, that is. Lizzie was rather enjoying it.) he spoke."Thank you Miss Bennet and Miss Lucas. I'll see you in surgery." With that, he turned and left. Lizzie turned and found Charlotte frowning at her.

"Why didn't you tell me about the smoothie?" asked Charlotte.

"There wasn't time. I barely got it made in time and I wanted to surprise him at the end."

"You sure are going above and beyond," said Charlotte.

"I am simply shutting down any idea that we are not good enough OR nurses for him."

"That's one way of looking at it," said Charlotte under her breath. Lizzie did not hear her.

That night, Lizzie and Charlotte were just getting dinner preparations ready when Jane walked in to the apartment carrying groceries.

"Hi sis, what's with the groceries?"

"I bought you ice cream," said Jane passing Lizzie a bag. Lizzie opened it to find Moose tracks, her favorite ice cream.

"Um, thanks," said Lizzie gazing at her sister, "Why do I feel like this is a bribe?"

"Because it is." Jane grinned shyly back.

"A bribe for what?"

"I'm hoping you're okay with me skipping out on dinner?"

"Seriously, that's it?" said Lizzie laughing, "Nothing to worry about Jane. I'll just hang with my other bestie, Charlotte."

"I'm assuming its Bingley who's taking you away," said Charlotte smiling at Jane.

"Yes," said Jane blushing.

"Two dates in a row," said Lizzie, putting her arm around Jane, "Must be serious."

"Yeah, so now is the time for the important details," said Charlotte hopping onto the kitchen counter, "How good of a kisser is he?"

"Charlotte!" squealed Jane as Lizzie burst into laughter.

"Please, we need to live vicariously through you." Lizzie joined Charlotte on the counter and together they opened up the ice cream and began eating right out of the container.

"Well, your vicarious living will be minimal because we haven't kissed."

"Really?" Charlotte did not even try to disguise her doubt.

"Why is that surprising?" asked Lizzie. "They've only known each other a few days. This isn't a Disney movie."

"I forgot that detail," said Charlotte, nodding.

"Anyways, I'm going to change. Please behave while I'm gone." Jane disappeared into her room.

Lizzie cranked up the music and put the ice cream back into the freezer. She turned to the counter where the ingredients for parmesan chicken and potatoes sat, waiting. As she stared at them, she felt an utter sense of laziness.

"Yo Charlotte!"

"What?"

"What do you think?" Lizzie gestured to the ingredients. Charlotte's shoulders slumped and instantly, they both knew what the other was thinking.

"Frozen pizza!" they shouted in unison. Lizzie cranked the music even louder as she put in a pizza. The ingredients for parmesan chicken and potatoes were forgotten. Hanging in the kitchen, Charlotte lowered her voice.

"Lizzie, you really should talk to Jane about Bingley."

"About what?"

Charlotte sighed. "I don't want her to make the same mistakes she's made with other guys. Charles Bingley is marriage material, and I mean A plus. She needs to make the moves on him or she's going to lose him."

"You know that's not how Jane acts," said Lizzie.

"I know it's not…but she will lose him if she doesn't give him something."

"Jane is not going to get physical with him just to guarantee his attention because that's not right, and you know it."

"I'm not saying physical stuff, Lizzie. I'm saying…just tell her to be more honest. She always bottles up all her feelings and guys misread that."

"If it makes you feel any better, "said Lizzie, watching Jane's door carefully. "I already talked with her. It went really well. She's already made some good steps. She even marked the calendar."

"The calendar? Oh my goodness, you're actually doing that?"

"She," clarified Lizzie. "She is doing that."

"Well, she should tell him that she's doing that. It will help her be more honest."

"Yeah, and possibly scare him in the process."

Charlotte shrugged and grabbed a soda from the fridge. Lizzie watched her curiously.

"I don't understand, Charlotte. You would never act this way yourself. Why do you want Jane to do it?"

"Well, my way doesn't work. I'm still single, as you can see. Probably will be forever," said Charlotte gloomily.

"No! Have you been talking to your mom again?" Charlotte's nod made Lizzie sigh. "Well, your mom is wrong when she says you're nothing without a guy. You're beautiful, fun, and hard working. You have so much to offer."

"Really?" said Charlotte, perking up a bit.

"Absolutely."

Jane stepped out of her bedroom in a simple black dress and made her way to the kitchen where she laughed at the signs of frozen pizza.

"I thought it was going to be chicken," she said, putting in earrings.

"Yeah, well, you're the sophisticated one and you're leaving, so us…us…"

"Dorks" helped Charlotte grinning.

"Yes, dorks. Thank you Charlotte. Us dorks are returning to the habits that we are accustomed."

"Alright," Jane laughed softly, and then went to the full length mirror that hung purposely near the front door. She did the familiar takes that all women are familiar with. Makeup. Check. Dress-front and back. Double check. Hair. Check. Outfit with purse. Check. Outfit with purse and coat. Check. Once finished, Jane looked at Lizzie. Lizzie recognized the nerves in her sister's face and knew instantly what to do.

She ran to the stereo and switched the music to one of their favorite dance songs. Once it started playing, Jane broke into a huge smile.

"Dance party!" said Lizzie running to Jane. "Come on. Dance those nerves right out."

Lizzie, at first, was the only one dancing wildly. Charlotte was the first to succumb. She joined Lizzie and began to beat box which made Lizzie laugh so hard her ribs hurt. Jane finally raised her hands in surrender and joined them. This was their sister tradition. Every time one of them was feeling overwhelmed with nerves, the other would start a dance party. Somehow the magic of those precious moments together always made them feel better.

The apartment was filled with shouts of laughter and screams, which is probably why they missed the knocks at the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Lizzie was used to people finding her in embarrassing situations. Jane, however, was not accustomed to it at all. She was refined and dignified and always atmosphere appropriate.

So the moment Charles Bingley opened the door to find Jane and Lizzie on top of the counter dancing with Charlotte jumping on the couch was probably one of her most humiliating moments. Jane could not get off the counter quickly enough while

Lizzie laughed, but her laughter died when she looked at who else stood in the doorway.

Dr. Fitzwilliam and Bingley's sister, Caroline, stood in the doorway, their thoughts evident on their faces-disapproval. Charles was laughing as Jane tried to explained herself, which was unnecessary. Charles thought it had been wonderful.

"I only wish I could dance like that," said Charles. "I'm too insecure."

"Believe me, I am as well," said Jane blushing.

"I'm not" said Lizzie still standing on the counter.

"You really should get down before you fall down and hurt yourself," said Dr. Fitzwilliam from the door.

Lizzie stared back at him. Hurt herself? Psh, Lizzie would show him. Turning her back to the door, she threw her body backwards into a simple back flip off the counter.

Caroline shrieked but Lizzie landed easily and flipped her head up. Jane laughed nervously looking back at Bingley.

"Wow," said Bingley. "That's impressive."

"Gymnastics for eight years," said Lizzie smiling.

"Well, remind me not to mess with you," said Bingley. "Anyways, Jane, are you ready?"

"Yes," Jane said smoothing her dress and grabbing her coat which Bingley took and helped her with. Lizzie smiled at his gentlemen spirit. Right before the other group left, the timer for the pizza rang. Charlotte and Lizzie both jumped up and ran

to get the pizza cutter. Laughing they reached it at the exact same time which caused a mental stare down with neither of them backing down.

"Jane," said Charlotte, "You're going to have to settle it."

Jane moaned from the door.

"You won last time," said Lizzie, "And the time before that, because you always pull the non-sister card."

"You always pull the sister card."

"Let's go," said Jane, pushing the group out the door. "Love you both," she called back into the room as she pulled the door closed behind her.

Once in the hall, the three turned to Jane.

"What is the problem?" asked Dr. Fitzwilliam. "What are they arguing about?"

"Arguing, no…disagreement, yes," she said calmly.

"Fine, disagreeing about what?"

"Cutting the pizza into squares or normal pieces."

Jane, Bingley, and Caroline continued down the hall laughing. Fitzwilliam waited a moment. He listened to the laughter behind the door and then followed them.

Lizzie was busy filling out charts early the next morning. Since Dr. Fitzwilliam's arrival, she had decided to get to work 20 minutes early. Though her dislike of him was planted firmly in her emotions, logically speaking, he was correct about needing to be early to be on time. But she would never give him verbal satisfaction which would increase his already god-like ego.

Lizzie heard someone walk up behind her.

"Squares or normal pieces?"

Lizzie, surprised, turned to meet Dr. Fitzwilliam who was looking over her shoulder at the chart. She didn't know what he was talking about at first but then remembered the pizza.

"Normal pieces," replied Lizzie, turning away from him.

"Huh, I thought Charlotte won last time."

"She did," said Lizzie shortly, handing Dr. Fitzwilliam the chart before walking to the other side of the counter where she started on another chart. She didn't even bother to meet his eyes.

"I guess you do let down easily sometimes," said Dr. Fitzwilliam grinning as he looked at the chart. Lizzie eyes snapped up but he continued to grin and look at the chart.

"For your information, sometimes it's kind to let someone else have their way."

He didn't answer, so Lizzie didn't continue, just went back to her chart taking a chair behind the counter. A few minutes passed in silence until Charlotte arrived and took a seat next to Lizzie.

"Good morning Dr. Fitzwilliam. How are you?" Charlotte looked at Fitzwilliam when she said this with a bright smile. ("Suck up," whispered Lizzie.)

"Good. Let's begin. I need you two to have my instruments ready early. I need to talk to the other surgeon and I won't have time to do both so I need to check them before I go."

"Understood," said Charlotte.

"Thank you," he said.

Lizzie did not look up to see him leave, but after a moment she felt a nudge in her side by Charlotte. She looked up to see Fitzwilliam trying to give her the chart back. She took it without meeting his eye. He left and Lizzie returned to her chart.

Lizzie could feel Charlotte's eyes on her. She ignored the look.

Charlotte did not voice her thoughts so Lizzie forgot about it and they went through the next few weeks without incident. Lizzie hit her stride with Fitzwilliam. They were the definition of professionalism. Lizzie continued to learn small details that soon cut off any chance of reprimand from Dr. Fitzwilliam. Lizzie enjoyed the challenge in some ways, but her full enjoyment came on the few times she was shifted over to assist with Dr. Bingley.

Charles, who now insisted they call him Charlie as often as professionalism allowed, had a completely different style from Dr. Fitzwilliam. Lizzie couldn't help the smiles and laughter that he effortlessly drew out from the hospital staff. Lizzie had never worked with a more courteous surgeon, and too top it off, his relationship with Jane continued to blossom.

Jane was happier than she had ever been, which was saying something, because Jane was the sunshine of Lizzie's life. Jane's happiness carried over to Lizzie so completely that it didn't matter that Dr. Fitzwilliam bugged her to death. Jane was happy, therefore Lizzie was happy.

Obediently, Jane and Lizzie kept marking the calendar which was full of meaningless facts like the first meal Charlie and Jane made together. Lizzie did not even care if the facts were pointless. Jane was so stupid with happiness that Lizzie let her mark away.

Finally, it was Thanksgiving. Lizzie and Jane were packing up to head home and Charlie had come to say goodbye to Jane. Lizzie smiled to herself. All this fuss because of a single day apart. Yes, they were at the point where it was rare for them not to see each other every day, but they worked together so it wasn't exactly hard.

Carrying both suitcases normally wouldn't have been a problem for Lizzie, but she was also trying to carry two pies. Mrs. Bennet had told them that she would make the whole meal, but Jane and Lizzie insisted on at least making pies. A sensible person might have taken two trips, but for Lizzie, it wasn't about sensibility—it was about self-preservation. Jane and Charlie were saying goodbye back in the apartment and Lizzie hated the thought of interrupting their disgustingly sappy farewell.

Yes, she loved her sister's happiness, but goodness, did they have to smile that much?

Just when she got to the car, she realized she had no way to open the door. Sighing, she was about to put down the bags, when she felt the weight of them disappear. She turned and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Dr. Fitzwilliam.

"Holy cookies," she said, trying to calm her heart rate back down.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said putting the bags over his shoulder.

"Yeah, it's fine. I wasn't really scared." Lizzie opened the door and set the pies on the floor, then reached back towards Fitzwilliam for the suitcases. He side-stepped her, placed the bags in the back seat, and closed the door.

"Thanks," said Lizzie. They stood awkwardly staring at each other for a minute before Lizzie politely ended the conversation.

"Happy thanksgiving, Dr. Fitzwilliam," she said opening the driver's door.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Lizzie," he replied, turning away right as she slammed the door shut.

Lizzie was surprised. He had never called her by her first name. He insisted on complete professionalism at work and had continued the habit whenever they saw each other outside of it. She was about to extend the same invitation until she realized something.

"Wait!" She opened the door and got back out. He turned around to face her.

"Umm," Lizzie started, but paused, embarrassed. "I don't even know your first name. That's terrible of me."

"No, not really," he said shrugging.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't tell people my name because it unlocks a whole number of other questions."

Lizzie suppressed a smile but he caught it.

"What?"

"That bad of a name, huh?" asked Lizzie shrugging.

"Yes," he replied simply, with a small smile on his face.

Jane and Charlie came out laughing and hugging. Charlie called out to Dr. Fitzwilliam who waved back but went to their car and got in promptly.

Jane came to the passenger's side where she kissed Charlie goodbye while Lizzie looked away pointedly. Jane got in and Charlie hung through the window.

"Have an awesome Thanksgiving, Lizzie," he said with a warm smile.

"You too," said Lizzie.

"Bye sweetie," he said, giving Jane one last kiss before he turned and left.

Lizzie pulled out quickly before one of them had second thoughts about separating for a night. Once on the freeway, Lizzie openly laughed.

"You guys are having a tough time with this, aren't you?"

"Yes," said Jane, looking down at her phone which Lizzie assumed was Bingley texting her.

"You'll see him in two days, Jane."

"I know…it's silly. It's just that we haven't been apart for a day since we met," said Jane tapping her fingers on the window.

"Believe me, I know."

"Sorry," said Jane, her cheeks blushing, "Are we that bad?"

"No," said Lizzie honestly, "I'm your sister. I'm disgusted and I love it at the same time. I love that you're happy, I just maybe don't want to see the staring into each other's eyes all the time."

"Okay. I'll try to keep that part from you."

"Thanks. I love you, Jane."

"Love you too, Lizzie."

The minute that they arrived at the Bennet house, havoc erupted. Mrs. Bennet's screams of joy could be heard across the neighborhood.

"Jane! Lizzie! I'm so excited to see you!" cried Mrs. Bennet, pulling them both into a tight hug.

"Hello, mom," said Jane.

"You must tell me all about this boyfriend of yours," demanded Mrs. Bennet, taking Jane by the arm. She pulled off Jane's suitcase and handed it to Lizzie who once again found herself holding both the bags and the pies. Jane sent a sorry over her shoulder as Mrs. Bennet babbled on and on.

Setting the pies down on the coffee table, Lizzie went up the stairs to the room that she had shared with Jane. She pushed the door open and dropped the suitcases on the nearest bed, then looked around, lost in thought.

Not a day seemed to have passed since they had moved out. The walls were still purple and blue. (Jane's and Lizzie's favorite colors) The beds even had the same blankets and sheets that Lizzie had grown up with. She had loved this room and smiled at the memories that flooded her. It made her truly feel at home.

Bang! The sound drew Lizzie from her happy reverie and she sighed. She would recognize that noise anywhere. For almost all of their lives, Kitty and Lydia had slammed doors. Lizzie went out into the hall just as the older half of the duo stormed up the stairs.

"Hey, Kit."

"I can't believe my life! It's so unfair. I can't wait till I'm away from her."

Surprise! Kitty was obsessed with herself and wouldn't even bother to say hello. She pushed past Lizzie and slammed the door of her room. Lizzie headed for the stairs, and found the reason for Kitty's anger standing in the doorway kissing a boy goodbye. Kissing longer than she should have.

Lizzie went down the stairs clearing her throat. Lydia and the boy broke apart and turned toward her.

"Lizzie!" said Lydia, her face brightening, "I didn't know you were here."

"Kind of hard to see anything, I'd imagine," said Lizzie crossing her arms. The boy looked embarrassed.

"I'll see you later, Lydia," he said, hurrying out before she could say anything. Lydia looked angrily after him at first, but shrugged it off.

"Charming boy," said Lizzie.

"He really is charming, you just made him feel awkward."

"Good. My job is complete."

Lydia rolled her eyes and ran up the stairs two at a time. Lizzie debated saying something else, but what was the point? She had had the conversation with Lydia many times. Lydia saw no need to preserve her dignity by not getting physical with every guy she met. So Lizzie shrugged it off and walked past the living room where Mary was busy playing the violin.

Lizzie waved at her and Mary simply nodded. Of course, she wouldn't actually stop playing. That would be scandalous, but Lizzie didn't mind. She had her goal already in sight. She was going to the one place in the house that she had always felt secure—her dad's office.

Lizzie opened the door and breathed in her favorite smells. Books and parchment paper. Her dad's study was in the back of the house and the walls were covered with shelves overflowing with thick books and piles of manuscripts. This room contained the objects that he valued more than anything else, aside from his family.

Mr. Bennet looked every ounce the scholar he was as he sat behind his desk scratching away with his ink and quill. He taught high school history, and was also a published author on different subjects. He still wrote many of his notes in cursive using a quill, an art he insisted was worth preserving.

Lizzie smiled. Mr. Bennet was hunched over his desk and did not even notice when she came in.

"Dad."

He looked up, smiling, and put his glasses down on his desk.

"My Lizzie, you look wonderful." He got up and embraced her.

He smelled the same as his study which Lizzie loved.

"So, my dear," he said, gesturing to one of two leather chairs in his office, "tell me how things are at the hospital."

"Great, the surgical wing expansion is complete, and we landed two great surgeons," said Lizzie, taking a seat.

"I heard," grunted Mr. Bennet. "I also hear that one of them is my future son-in-law," he joked, resuming his writing.

"Well, to be honest dad, it's possible that this could be true." Lizzie said the words slowly, not wanting to distract her father from his precious writing. She knew from past experience that too much surprise could show in his calligraphy, which would irritate him.

"Really," he said, setting down his quill and gazing at her. Lizzie heard disbelief in his voice.

"Forgive me, Lizzie," he said, softly but firmly, "if I remain a skeptic, until the ring is on her hand. The lad has not yet met the family—which will be its own test."

Lizzie nodded slowly. There was not a truer statement.

Thanksgiving went by quickly. Mrs. Bennet asked millions of questions about Charlie and Jane answered each one patiently while Lizzie remained impatient next to her even though she didn't have to say anything. Mary was in her own world. Kit and Lydia jumped back and forth between being inseparable friends and mortal enemies. All was life as usual at the Bennett household.

Lizzie was practically skipping when it was time to leave. She once again carried both suitcases (although the lack of pies made this much easier), because Jane was still being bombarded by Mrs. Bennet, but Lizzie caught their conversation which was interesting.

"We'll be going to see my parents the week before Christmas which means we won't be here. I assume you work anyways," said Mrs. Bennet.

"Yes, I work but that's okay because Charlie and I were thinking about taking a trip together anyways," said Jane. Mrs. Bennet squealed with excitement.

"Oh! That's wonderful, Jane! You should most definitely go. Maybe you two could even spend Christmas together." Jane laughed.

"No, I'll be here for Christmas. It's just a weekend trip," Jane reassured.

"Perfect. I'm so proud of you, Jane!" she said, once again bestowing Jane with kisses. Mrs. Bennet then turned to Lizzie and gave her a hug.

"I'm so proud of both my girls, but you really should try harder, Lizzie. You could wear some more makeup. It would bring out those eyes of yours. They're your best feature," said Mrs. Bennet.

"Thanks mom," said Lizzie, rolling her eyes at Jane, who gave her a sad smile.

"Alright then. Text me when you get home. I always worry about my girls and I would like to meet this young man soon, Jane," she finished pointedly.

"He works a lot, mom," Jane said, panicking slightly.

"Sometimes, it's even hard for Jane to see him," said Lizzie, coming to Jane's rescue. Mrs. Bennet took the bait.

"Yes, well, the most important thing is for you two to see each other, Jane. Make sure you're taking advantage of every moment you can," said Mrs. Bennet.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure they do," said Lizzie, putting her arm around Jane. They hugged Mrs. Bennet one more time before getting into the car.

Once they were down the road, Jane let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you so much, Lizzie, I wasn't sure if I could avoid setting up a meeting with mom and Charlie. You saved me."

"I love saving you, but Jane…it is going to have to happen at some point," said Lizzie sadly.

"I know. It'll happen soon…maybe after Christmas."

"Yeah, that's probably best," Lizzie agreed. "So what's this trip you have planned?"

The trip was going to be a ski weekend. Scheduled the weekend before Christmas, the group, which included Jane, Bingley, Fitzwilliam, and Caroline, would drive the couple of hours to the Bingley's private cabin. There they would spend the weekend skiing.

Jane was very excited. It would be her first trip together with Charlie, and her thrill and joy brought personal happiness for Lizzie was well. Although Jane had invited her along, Lizzie had quickly turned down the invitation. She loved Bingley but couldn't bear the thought of spending an entire social weekend with Fitzwilliam and Caroline.

Lizzie had only spoken to Caroline on two occasions. The party, of course, was the first. The second time was when Charlie, Fitzwilliam, and she had come over for dinner. Jane had given them a tour of their small apartment and Caroline had voiced her opinions loudly.

True, the apartment was small compared to what Caroline was used to, but it wasn't a cheap one either. Lizzie and Jane were proud of their first home. The apartment was in an old Chicago factory building that had been converted into an apartment building. It had exposed brick and pipes throughout the interior which gave it that city living atmosphere that people love.

The apartment itself opened up in an open floor plan which connected the kitchen and living room. The two bedrooms were nice, and having only one bathroom didn't faze either Lizzie or Jane, as they grew up sharing with three additional sisters.

Having only two people felt positively roomy.

Jane and Lizzie made good money at the hospital, which meant they could afford something nicer but ultimately it was about the location for them. They were in the heart of Chicago, and near a subway with a direct route to the hospital. It was perfect for them.

But for Caroline Bingley, it was the epitome of poverty. She openly laughed when they looked in Lizzie's room. True, her room was a bit colorful. The walls were plastered with posters of various books, movies, and inspirational quotes, which made it look like a rainbow had exploded in the room. Overcrowded bookshelves lined the walls, along with various stuffed animals. Although it was clean now, (because Jane had made Lizzie clean it) the room was usually cluttered and messy.

"You still have stuffed animals?" remarked Caroline, stepping into the room with Lizzie behind her.

"Yes, I do."

"Why?"

"Well," began Lizzie, "I love them. That hasn't changed just because I've gotten older."

"I'm sure it hasn't" said Caroline raising her eyebrow as she started looking around Lizzie's closet. Lizzie turned away before Caroline could say whatever disparaging comments she was thinking about Lizzie's wardrobe choices, and saw Charlie examining the menagerie of posters.

"I didn't live in reality until high school," Lizzie told him, laughing. "I got all the posters so I could jump into any world I wanted whenever I was in my room."

"It's very cool, I like them."

"Thanks," said Lizzie beaming. He was such a good chap!

"You must be quite the reader," he said, moving to examine the bookshelves. "Like you." He continued, this time to Fitzwilliam, who Lizzie just now noticed standing in the doorway next to Jane, his face expressionless.

"She reads all the time" said Jane beaming, "In fact, she would rather buy new books instead of new clothes."

"And it's not even a close call," interjected Lizzie defiantly, fully aware of Caroline's demeaning thoughts.

They had left it at that, but Lizzie knew that any potential friendship with Caroline was fried. Truthfully, she did not care at all. It just put the idea of spending an entire weekend with the lot completely out of the question.

She had a good excuse, thankfully, which made it easier to explain it to Jane. Charlotte was planning on going home, and had asked Lizzie to join her. Mrs. Lucas was a bit controlling and condescending when it came to her daughter, Charlotte.

Lizzie thought she could go and support her friend for the beginning of her Christmas trip. Plus, it gave her a perfect excuse to not go skiing. Two birds with one stone.

So Friday morning Lizzie and Charlotte were packing. Jane had already left for Bingley's. A winter storm warning had been issued for later in the day, meaning Lizzie wanted to leave a few hours earlier than planned in hopes of avoiding it.

"Are you sure you're willing to do this?" Charlotte asked again.

"Yes," said Lizzie for the millionth time. "I don't mind going to your family's house. Besides, your mom likes me."

"I know, I just thought maybe we could have a fun weekend with just the two of us."

"It does sound fun, but we already told your mom we were coming."

"Yeah," admitted Charlotte, "you're right. Are you all packed?"

"Yup." said Lizzie swinging her bag over her shoulder. "You got your stuff because I want to lock the door right after us."

"You and your one trip," muttered Charlotte, walking towards the door but she stopped near the coffee table. She dropped her bag.

"Is this Jane's inhaler?" she asked holding up, unmistakably, Jane's inhaler.

Lizzie sighed. Jane would need it if she was going to go skiing all weekend because extraneous activity usually brought out Jane's asthma.

"We're going to need to stop at Bingley's," said Lizzie, shrugging her shoulders.

"But Lizzie, it's already snowing out and it's in the opposite direction. Can't you just call her?"

"I'll try," said Lizzie. She dialed Jane's number and immediately got Jane's voicemail. Jane had turned off her phone after Mrs. Bennet had called her five times asking tedious questions such as what outfit she was wearing or what perfume she was bringing for her first weekend trip with Bingley.

"We'll have to take it Charlotte," said Lizzie determinedly. "Her phone is off. Plus, I want this weekend to be perfect for her, and without this, she'll be miserable."

"Alright, rescue is on the way, Jane!" called out Charlotte, leaving the apartment laughing with Lizzie behind her.

Getting to the apartment took longer than Lizzie had hoped which made her nervous that the group would already have left. She didn't have Charles number, which she mentally noted to get.

They arrived just in time. The group had been getting into a limo. Seriously! A limo. Jane stepped back out, recognizing Lizzie's car and was soon followed by Charles.

"Hey," said Lizzie getting out of the car, "you forgot this." She held up Jane's inhaler.

Jane beamed as she took it, and threw her arms around Lizzie.

"Thank you! I realized I had forgotten it too late," she explained, releasing Lizzie. "Charlie insisted we would stop but I can't believe you came all this way. It's in the opposite direction, Lizzie."

"It's not a problem," said Lizzie. She noticed Fitzwilliam get out of the limo and make his way over to the group.

"It's a huge deal!" said Charles, putting his arm around Jane and smiling. "This means Jane has no excuse to not join me skiing."

"I'm going to ski," protested Jane. "I'm just warning you that I'm not going on anything complicated because I stink."

"She really does," said Lizzie laughing.

"Thanks" said Jane. Most people would have been offended by that but Jane was always honest-even in her flaws.

"Are you sure you should be driving back in this weather?" said Charles looking at the sky which was filled with snow.

"You're driving," pointed out Lizzie.

"Out of the snow," said Charles. "You're driving straight into it." He then pulled out the weather radar on his phone and pointed this out. Lizzie was troubled when she saw that the snowstorm had gotten worse, and was indeed right where they would be driving for hours.

"I guess you have a point," said Lizzie shrugging. She waved Charlotte to get out of the car. Charlotte, putting on a hat, joined the circle.

"Look at the radar, Char" said Lizzie showing it to her. Charlotte's face lit up.

"Guess we're not going home," she said. "We can have that fun weekend I was talking about."

"Or you could just come with us," suggested Charlie, beaming. Lizzie's stomach dropped.

"Perfect!" said Jane clapping, "Please, you two. It would be so much fun!"

"Does that mean we can ride in the limo?" asked Charlotte, looking thrilled.

"Of course, there's plenty of room," said Charles.

"We are so in," shouted Charlotte laughing. She grabbed Jane's hand and both of them headed towards the limo followed closely by Charles.

"Great. I guess I'll get the bags," said Lizzie, turning back towards her car. She was fuming, but didn't let it show until she was in the car, parking it in Bingley's driveway. This was the last thing she wanted to do, but no one else seemed to care what she thought. She took a moment to collect herself, but as she turned off the car and got out, the back door opened. Dr. Fitzwilliam stood right next to the car. She had forgotten about him.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting your bags," he said, taking them both from the back. She glared at him.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders. He didn't get it. Lizzie walked past him with a barely audible thanks.

Getting into the limo, Lizzie chose the seat in the corner which was thankfully still open. Caroline was sitting with her arms crossed, looking grumpier than Lizzie felt, which was saying something. Charles, Jane, and Charlotte were laughing, having the time of their lives. As soon as Fitzwilliam joined them, he knocked on the window.

The limo pulled out to cheers from three of the group, and stony silence from the other three. Lizzie stared out the window. This was going to be a long weekend.


	4. Chapter 4

Lizzie couldn't stay grumpy too long. Charles kept making them laugh with funny stories about his residency. He included Fitzwilliam in them at first, but Fitzwilliam refused to tell his side of the story, probably because they made him look bad.

Despite Fitzwilliam's quiet mood, Lizzie caught him staring at her a few times. It unnerved her. She hated hanging out with her supposed boss on her free time.

When they arrived at the cabin, Lizzie's bad mood disappeared quickly. It was beautiful. The snow was breathtaking with the mountains creating a magical environment that made Lizzie feel wistful and romantic.

Jane must have had the same idea, because she slipped her arm into Bingley's who gave her an affectionate glance back. Lizzie watched their interaction with joy and pride. She then determined she would try and enjoy this weekend. For Jane.

As she turned her attention to the cabin, Lizzie was once again reminded of wealth represented by half of their group. The name cabin was an understatement. It was a three floor house including a basement and a pool. There were four bedrooms on the top floor with one in the basement. Caroline pointed out that Lizzie and Charlotte should share that one because they had come at the last second.

Lizzie didn't mind Caroline's obvious sneer. She preferred the basement anyway. It would give her space away from the people she didn't like. Charlotte didn't mind sharing either and they headed towards the house with their own luggage. The others waited for the chauffeur to carry it in but Lizzie saw no point in waiting.

Lizzie opened the door and her breath was taken away. Still keeping the cabin feel, the house was decorated with a rustic theme with a ceiling high fireplace made of brick. Squishy brown leather furniture decked the space next to a brown and gold modern updated kitchen.

Lizzie's eyes were drawn to the spectacular view on the other side of the living room. That wall had floor to ceiling windows that captured the mountains and snow. Lizzie dropped her bag and headed towards the view while Charlotte went straight to the kitchen to look for a snack.

The others piled in. Jane had a similar reaction to Lizzie and Charlotte's. Lizzie watched Bingley's expression as he watched Jane gush over the cabin. He had a golden smile on his face as he watched his love. Yes, love. Lizzie was sure, now more than ever. He was in love.

The basement had a game room with pool and ping pong. The bedroom downstairs was by no means a downgrade. True, they would have to share a bed but it was a king with the softest sheets that Lizzie had ever felt.

"This is amazing Lizzie. This SO beats our other plans," said Charlotte, unzipping her bag.

"Yes, it does," admitted Lizzie, looking at the bathroom. It was bigger than Jane and Lizzie's bathroom at home, plus it had a huge walk in shower which excited her more than it probably should have.

When they went upstairs, the others were making plans.

"I want to go out to eat Charles," whined Caroline, "Then we can hit the slopes."

"By the time we do that, Caroline, the slopes will be packed," said Bingley kindly.

"Then what are going to eat?" she complained once again.

"I can make something," said Lizzie coming up behind them.

"Yes," said Jane smiling, "We can make something."

"Really? Like frozen pizza?" said Caroline smugly.

"They both cook well," said Bingley quickly. "I think I asked Rose to stock the fridge," he said, walking into the kitchen.

"Rose?" asked Jane.

"The maid," said Caroline.

Lizzie and Jane checked the fridge which wowed them once again. Stocked was an understatement. It had everything anyone would ever need.

"How about steak and potatoes?" asked Lizzie.

"Yes," said Charlotte.

"Perfect," said Bingley.

"Will wants to go out to eat too," piped Caroline looking at him.

"I don't care either way," said Fitzwilliam shrugging his shoulders, "But I do think we should get to the slopes earlier."

"It's decided then," said Bingley.

Caroline rolled her eyes and stalked upstairs and Lizzie was strongly reminded of Kitty and Lydia. She laughed softly and began preparations.

Making dinner was enjoyable. Bingley was trying to help but all he really did was distract Jane. Lizzie eventually gave them the job of setting the table so she and Charlotte could cook without them eye goggling each other.

"So, are you going to ski Lizzie?" asked Charlotte, as they neared the end of their preparations.

"A little," said Lizzie, "I might stay on the bunny hills tonight though just to warm up and then maybe I'll be a little more adventurous tomorrow."

"Yeah, me too," said Charlotte.

"What are you talking about? I know you're really good at skiing. Your family went all the time."

"Yeah, but I want to hang out with you," said Charlotte.

"Meaning you're nervous for me," said Lizzie grinning, "I'll be fine. If I get bored, I'll go to the lodge and drink hot chocolate and read."

"I feel bad leaving you alone. Jane and Bingley will be together and Caroline…yeah, and then Fitzwilliam. SO, you really will be alone."

"You forget one simple fact about me," said Lizzie, "I don't mind being alone, Char."

"I know…I just forget that."

"Well, I'll be fine."

"Are you positive?"

"Yes."

By the time they finished dinner and got ready, it was late afternoon. They all piled into the limo, and Lizzie was surprised when Fitzwilliam took a seat next to her.

"You ski?" he asked.

"Not well," said Lizzie opening her backpack, "I'll try a few runs though. You?"

Fitzwilliam nodded. "I grew up skiing."

"So did Charlotte."

"Yes, I did. I even took private lessons for a while," said Charlotte.

Fitzwilliam nodded but he turned back towards Lizzie.

"You did gymnastics instead," he said.

"That wasn't a question," said Lizzie.

"I was attempting to ask you about that."

"I did gymnastics…how is that asking?"

"Fine," Fitzwilliam sighed, "Did you enjoy it?"

"I did."

"What else did you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"When I was growing up, I did many different types of sports," said Fitzwilliam.

"I did not."

"So sports weren't your thing?"

"I guess not," said Lizzie shrugging.

"What are you talking about," said Charlotte, leaning forward, "Don't believe her Dr. Fitzwilliam, she was also a really good soccer player. She played through high school."

"Why did you quit? Or were you not good enough to play in college?"

That question came from Caroline who looked at her with an evil eye. Lizzie shifted uncomfortably, but then she wondered why she was embarrassed.

"I decided to focus on my studies. I had a scholarship that I couldn't afford to lose since I was paying for college myself."

"Oh, that's so sad," said Caroline, with a compassionate voice that deceived no one.

Lizzie locked eyes with Caroline whose smug expression challenged her to counter back. Lizzie was about to respond, but she caught Jane's concerned eye. Lizzie knew any counter back would hurt Jane's feelings. This was Bingley's family, who Jane was furiously trying to impress. And ultimately, this was all for Jane. Lizzie sighed.

"Not really," she said simply, not meeting Caroline's eyes, but knowing the triumphant look that was sure to be on it.

The car pulled up and everyone climbed out.

Lizzie only skied for half an hour before she gave up and went inside the lodge. Buying a hot chocolate, she got her book out of her backpack and began to read.

She sat there for some time until she was joined by Fitzwilliam who took off his gloves.

"Already done?" he asked.

"Yup," said Lizzie turning a page.

"If you want, I could give you some pointers."

Lizzie looked up to see him looking smug. Boy, he did love superiority.

"No thanks," she said.

"What are you reading?"

"Little Women," said Lizzie, but Fitzwilliam's immediate grin infuriated her so she put down the book and stared back defiantly.

"What?"

"Nothing," said Fitzwilliam. "I just really don't get that book. I found it dull and was unable to relate."

"Well, some of us have a family of only sisters," said Lizzie.

"True, some of us also have a meek older sister and a second oldest with a flair of personality," said Fitzwilliam meeting her eye.

"What are you implying?"

Fitzwilliam shrugged. "Nothing. I just meant that I see how you would relate to it."

"I am not Jo."

"I didn't say you were but you do have to admit that you two have some similarities."

Lizzie was at first too baffled to say anything. This was the most she had ever heard Fitzwilliam talk. Plus, his knowledge of the book and its relations to her unnerved her.

"You don't even know me."

"Not well, but your silence implies my accurate guess," he said putting his gloves back on.

"Or maybe this is the most I've heard you talk," said Lizzie opening her book back up. "At work, all you want to do is tell me what to do and how to do it. Frankly, now that I think about it, it seems that's mostly what you talk to me about outside of work, too."

Fitzwilliam stared at her for a bit without saying anything. Lizzie started feeling a little bad about what she had said but then she remembered one word. Average. She remained silent.

"At work…" he paused, as if searching for just the right word, "I'm always going to be professional…but you could try getting to know me outside of work."

"I'm spending a weekend away with you," said Lizzie, grinning in spite of herself. "How much more do you want?"

"First of all, call me Will, instead of Dr. Fitzwilliam."

"Really? Even at work?"

"No. At work, I'm still Dr. Fitzwilliam but here…outside of work, I can be Will." Lizzie considered this. Maybe she could do that but she wanted to make him suffer just a little.

"Maybe."

Both of them were silent for a minute but he just seemed determined to insult her.

"You know; I have a few excellent books you should consider reading."

Something inside Lizzie snapped. Did he really think he had better taste in books than she did? He had gone too far. She was about to voice this when Caroline joined them.

"I can't believe how cold it is. Don't you think Will? I'm not surprised to see you, Lizzie," she said, taking the seat next to Fitzwilliam.

"Right, because I said I wouldn't be skiing much," said Lizzie gritting her teeth.

"Exactly. How was skiing Will?"

"Fine," he said.

"I did really well except for one hill which was quite a bit for me. Maybe you can help me?" asked Caroline.

"I'm going to get more hot chocolate," said Lizzie, before Fitzwilliam could respond.

Caroline scooted closer to Fitzwilliam and sighed, watching Lizzie's back.

"Can you believe that Bingley let Lizzie and Charlotte come? Of course Jane is sweet enough, but it must be awful for you to have two of your co-workers here. Not really relaxing company is it?" she asked.

"It's not that bad," said Fitzwilliam.

Lizzie was paying for her hot chocolate when she saw Charlotte and Jane outside adjusting their skies. Smiling, Lizzie snuck outside. She waited till they had their skies completely off and then ran up behind them, tackling them both into a pile of snow.

Thus began a snow fight. There were no boundaries as snow was shoved in faces and down backs. They laughed and squealed together rolling in the snow. Finally, Charlotte and Jane conceded, making Lizzie the winner. Lizzie laughed and hugged both of them. She led them inside where they shook like dogs trying to get rid of all the now in their ears and hair. Once inside, Jane and Charlotte bought hot chocolate with Lizzie sipping on her own.

The whole scene had been watched by Caroline and Fitzwilliam. Caroline gave a short bark of disapproving laughter and looked at Fitzwilliam.

"I can imagine what you're thinking," she said smugly. "Charles should never have invited such company. It is simply tedious."

"No, I was focused on something completely different," he said watching the group.

"Really?"

"Yes, I was thinking about how beautiful someone's eyes can be when they laugh."

Caroline blushed and faced him.

"Who is it Will? She must be lucky to have your attention."

"Lizzie Bennet," said Will standing up and heading towards the bathroom.

On the way back, Lizzie snuggled in between Jane and Charlotte. They relived their snow fight by telling Bingley about it.

"I'm just sorry that I missed it. I can't quite imagine Jane being aggressive like that," he said, putting his arm around her.

"She really isn't," said Lizzie laughing, "While Charlotte and I piled it on, she took small flecks and whipped them at us."

"I put some down your back Lizzie," argued Jane.

"Yes, a small bit that I hardly felt. I can still feel the pile Charlotte dumped on me!"

"You're exaggerating," said Charlotte.

"I haven't had a snow fight since I was six," said Caroline smugly.

"How sad," said Lizzie genuinely.

"I don't think that's true Caroline," said Bingley, "I've definitely thrown some snowballs at you."

"And I didn't respond because that's the mature thing to do Charles," said Caroline pointedly.

"I think that's an uptight thing," said Lizzie causing the whole limo to laugh. Caroline threw fire darts at Lizzie with her eyes. Jane gave Lizzie's hand a sharp squeeze which Lizzie understood. Take it down a notch.

"Of course, I can be a little childish sometimes," admitted Lizzie, "Jane has to keep me in check."

"That's what sisters are for," said Jane, affectionately.

"You two are really close," said Bingley.

"Yes," said Lizzie and Jane in unison, which made everyone laugh and agree even more.

When they arrived back at the cabin, Jane caught Lizzie's arm.

"Thank you for trying to be nice to Caroline. I know it's not easy," she said.

"No problem. Sorry I slipped earlier," said Lizzie.

"I really appreciate it, Lizzie."  
Once inside, everyone was hungry, which led to frozen pizza-much to Caroline's dismay. She refused to eat it and went for a salad. She was silent throughout most of the dinner until she broke out over the rest of the conversations.

"So, what do your parents do Lizzie?" she said. "And Jane, I suppose."

Lizzie looked at Jane, who was a little shocked.

"Our father is a history teacher and our mother is a secretary," said Lizzie, answering so Jane would not.

"Interesting," said Caroline, taking a bite of her salad, "Where does he teach?"

"He teaches at a private high school in Chicago."

"Oh, high school, I was assuming college. He must not make that much money then," she said.

"Caroline," said Bingley in a warning tone.

"I'm just asking some questions, Charles," said Caroline, "They don't have to answer if they don't want to."

Bingley still gave her a look which didn't do much except make everyone more uncomfortable.

"What college did you guys go to?" she continued.

"We went to the University of Chicago," said Jane, "We were both able to get scholarships which helped us a lot."

"Scholarships are wonderful things," said Bingley, "They help those who aren't fortunate enough to have money to pay for a pricey college." Lizzie saw him grab Jane's hand and squeeze it under the table.

"And you both graduated with a nursing degree?"

"Yes, we did," said Lizzie feeling her patience numbing away.

"Well, I suppose medical school was too advanced for you," said Caroline smugly.

"How about we watch a movie," said Bingley standing up, "Can I take your plate, Lizzie?"

Lizzie handed him her plate and she and Jane began clearing away other things at the table. Caroline continued eating her salad, but she was at least silent. Lizzie was fuming as she felt Charlotte join her in washing the dishes.

"I'm sorry," Charlotte whispered.

Lizzie shrugged.

"If it helps, I saw her trip and fall a long way while we were skiing."

"It does actually," said Lizzie and they both giggled.

Lizzie and Charlotte finished quickly. There was no way they were going to wash Caroline's plate.


	5. Chapter 5

That night after the movie, everyone went their separate ways. Not necessarily because they wanted to but Charlie and Jane's snuggling by the fire was enough to disperse them peacefully. Charlotte and Lizzie went downstairs where they quickly entertained themselves with small talk while music played quietly in the background.

Charlotte all too soon fell asleep. True, she was tuckered out. Her extra hours of skiing definitely played a role, but at the same time, Charlotte always fell asleep first. Lizzie was the type of person who had to be significantly tired to be able sleep.

As she sat in her room, she began stretching. Her back had felt a little sore and Lizzie summed it up to using muscles she didn't typically use. Then it hit her. Maybe she could take a swim? It had been too long since she had enjoyed a swim. Lizzie, excited, and now even more wide awake, ventured upstairs where she found Charlie grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. Lizzie smiled and greeted him by waving.

"Jane fell asleep on the couch," he said smiling, "I carried her upstairs to her room."

"Yeah, she gave her all to skiing," said Lizzie laughing, "Charlotte is also tuckered out. I have two partners that tend to get tired quickly."

"I've learned. Not a bad thing considering the early morning trip we're planning."

"True. Everyone else sleeping?"

"I think so, at least Will and Caroline were still in their rooms so I assume so. I was about to head to bed myself but I can stay up and hang with you if you like."

Good, old, chivalrous Charlie. Despite being tired, he was willing to stay up and hang out with her to make her feel comfortable. Lizzie smiled as he attempted to hide a yawn and she noted his chivalry. But, it was not needed.

"No thanks, I was actually thinking about taking a swim. Is that a problem?"

"Absolutely, go for it!"

"Thanks, goodnight!"

"Night," he said. He took the stairs two at a time, but Lizzie could tell he was wiped out.

Scampering back downstairs, she quietly opened the door so not to wake Charlotte, even though there was little chance of it. Lizzie changed into her swimsuit and headed towards the pool. It felt a little weird at first when she entered the room. Its glass walls made her feel visible for what seemed like miles, and she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

Ignoring that feeling, she dove into the pool and began to swim laps. She was quickly relieved of any tension she had felt in her back. Lizzie had always loved water. It had this profound comforting effect on her.

Just as she was making her fifth lap around the pool, she spotted someone out of the corner of her eye. Jumping with fright, she flipped around to see Fitzwilliam watching her with a hint of a smile.

"Holy pizza, what are you doing? This is creepy! No question about it! Why didn't you say something sooner? How long have you been here?"

"I've only been here a few minutes and I have to admit I'm impressed."

"Of what?"

"I've never seen someone go that long while doing the dog paddle," said Darcy, looking at his feet but still smiling.

"Yeah, well, I'm a loyal person and my dog paddle and I have been through a lot together," said Lizzie annoyed. Ignoring him, she started swimming again.

She made it around the pool again expecting to see him gone but he still stood there. Staring. Watching. And saying nothing. Stopping, she stood in the pool.

"What are you doing?"

"Have you ever taken swim lessons?"

"Yes," said Lizzie, annoyed. "What are you doing?"

"I could give you a few tips," he said crossing his arms.

Tips. Seriously? Fitzwilliam's god like complex carried to other areas besides surgery.

"No."

"No?" Fitzwilliam seemed surprised.

"No, I'm just fine with my swimming ability," said Lizzie getting out of the pool. Normally, she would swim longer but Fitzwilliam's presence had quickly taken away the pleasure of it.

"If you would just learn the breast stroke, you would swim laps a lot faster," he said as she grabbed her bathrobe.

"Yeah, I know how to do different strokes, I just like it slow. Therefore, the dog paddle," she said grabbing another towel for her hair.

"Seems illogical," he said looking out the window.

"Yeah, well, guess I'm emotional," said Lizzie and she left. Grunting to herself, she went downstairs to her room. Slamming the door, Charlotte woke with a start.

"I can't believe him!"

"Who?" Charlotte rubbed her eyes sleepily but she sat up.

"Fitzwilliam!"

"Okay…." said Charlotte motioning her to continue.

"He is always telling me what to do and how to do it!"

"Uh huh, how so?"

"Whether it comes to work, my reading habits, sports, and just now, he insulted my swimming."

Charlotte snickered and Lizzie flipped around.

"I'm just saying Lizzie, and I love you," she said spotting Lizzie's face, "I've never seen someone who can do other strokes still prefer the dog paddle."

"So what? You're allowed to say that but he's not. Plus at the lodge tonight, he said he could get me some excellent books to read! I do not need anyone's help when it comes to reading. I am the reader. That's my thing!"

"Yes, it is. Maybe he was just trying to be nice," said Charlotte, falling back onto the bed and pulling the covers up over her head. There was no way she was getting off that easily. Lizzie jumped on the bed and pulled the covers down.

"Lizzie, you are wet! Get off the bed," whined Charlotte, pushing her away.

"He is not trying to be nice! He's trying to boost his ego by making me feel inferior."

"Fine. He's awful. Now, please change and go to sleep," said Charlotte, finally succeeding in pushing her off the bed.

"Fine, but we are going to talk about this later," said Lizzie, walking to the bathroom.

"Yay me," said Charlotte pulling the pillow over her face.

The next morning skiing session went without incident. Lizzie was careful to avoid Caroline who had becoming increasingly irritable towards her. Not to mention, she avoided Fitzwilliam which was surprisingly easy because he didn't acknowledge her once.

After lunch, everyone wanted to go back to the slopes but Jane was tired and feeling a little under the weather. Her red nose and sneezing confirmed Lizzie's suspicion that Jane simply had a cold. Charlie offered to stay with her but she instead insisted that Lizzie stay. Lizzie was only too happy to avoid skiing and people that she disliked.

The others left without another word and Lizzie cuddled with Jane in her room.

"I'm sorry you're not feeling well, Jane."

"It's okay. It's just a cold but the thought of going out again just sounded miserable when you have a runny nose."

"Completely understand," said Lizzie rubbing her back, "How's it been going anyways? You and Charlie?"

"Really well, this trip has been so fun!"

"That's good…so have you discovered any annoying habits?"

"Lizzie," said Jane blowing her nose, "Charlie does not have any annoying habits."

"Ah, so you're still in the denial stage…believe me, you'll find something that you don't like. You just have to leave the honeymoon phase."

"No, you don't," said Jane in a monotone voice.

"Wait," said Lizzie, "Has my perfect sister already found something she doesn't like even though she denied it?"

"It's not an annoying habit…so no, I didn't lie."

"Well, then what is it?"

Jane hesitated and Lizzie realized that the atmosphere had switched from light-hearted teasing to more serious talk. Lizzie shifted so that Jane could look at her in the eye. Jane needed eye contact when she was talking about personal things.

"It's just…is it terrible if I wished that he wasn't rich?"

Lizzie was surprised. That was not what she was expecting.

"No, it's not terrible but…I'm confused why? Of course, that's not why you like Charlie but…just being honest…it's kind of a perk!"

"Depends on your point of view. Caroline doesn't approve of me…because, well our background is nothing like theirs. I know Charlie doesn't care about that. It's just intimidating…that's all."

Lizzie considered this. "I completely understand that, Jane. I would be intimidated too."

"Really? You're usually so confident."

"Come on Jane, you know that's not true. I act confident, but really I'm just as insecure as any other girl."

Jane smiled sadly and blew her nose. Jane truly was the person that Lizzie loved most in the world. She was also one of those people that when she cried, it had the most profound effect on Lizzie. Meaning, she was ready to torch whomever had done the damage. In that moment, Jane looked so sad and Lizzie wouldn't, couldn't let that be.

"Jane. Listen to me," she said taking her sister's hand in hers. "There is no reason for you to be insecure! Money is cheap when it comes to what's truly important. If Charlie's family can't see that you're worth more than a thousand diamonds then they are the ones who should be insecure. Not you!"

Jane smiled and wiped a tear. "You flatter me Lizzie, and I know you're completely biased, but do you really believe that?"

"Yes."

Jane and Lizzie hugged. Yes, Jane was worth more than a thousand diamonds. Really, she was worth more than a million diamonds to Lizzie.

Everyone came back from the trip tired, but happy. Charlotte excitedly shared how they all were taking the black runs now that their skills had been refreshed.

"And had no one holding you back," said Jane honestly.

"You weren't holding me back," said Charlie, "I enjoyed teaching you." He came up behind her and kissed her on the cheek. She giggled and pushed him away gently reminding him of her cold. He replied that he didn't care, and after an adoring look between them, he addressed the whole group.

"So, how about going out for dinner tonight?"

"We'd love that," said Jane looking up at him, and everyone voiced their agreement.

"How should we dress," said Lizzie grabbing a water bottle from the fridge, "Fancy or casual?"

"Fancy," said Caroline, "I want to go to something high end, Charles. It's MY turn to pick!"

"Alright Caroline," said Bingley nodding, "we'll go upscale. My treat, everyone!"

Charlotte cheered and Lizzie smiled. She would always take free food. Especially expensive, free food.

Down in the basement, Charlotte and Lizzie looked through their clothes. They hadn't brought anything fancy because the original plan had been to go to Charlotte's which required nothing of high end taste.

"What should we do?" Charlotte sighed and closed her suitcase. "I have nothing."

"I don't either," said Lizzie and she reached for her phone and texted Jane.

Jane came downstairs within a few minutes. She, of course, had brought a stunning black dress which made her look gorgeous. It was impossible to tell she even had a cold.

"Charlie told me to tell you guys to look in the closet in here."

"What?"

"He said Caroline and his other sister always keep a few clothes down here that they wore once and then never used again."

"Seriously," said Charlotte opening the closet door.

A few was an understatement. Charlotte and Lizzie, each had ten dresses to choose from. After a few minutes, Lizzie choose a dress that concealed more than most of the dresses did. She was clearly not as comfortable showing skin as Bingley's sisters were.

Going upstairs, Lizzie saw that everyone else was waiting patiently. Charlie was on the phone making a reservation while Caroline talked to Fitzwilliam.

"It's so horrible how unimaginative this year's fashions are. Don't you agree?"

"I don't know much about it," said Fitzwilliam, distracted by his phone.

"How's your sister?"

"She's good, she's been practicing a lot lately."

"She hardly need practice, they would be idiots to not take her."

"Naturally, I agree, but I know I'm biased. I think one can never be too confident."

Lizzie snorted, but attempted to turn it into a cough as Fitzwilliam gave her a hard look. He clearly didn't get her inside joke.

"Elizabeth, "said Caroline, "Did you know that Will's sister is an accomplished pianist? She's going to attend Julliard."

"Congrats to her," said Lizzie nodding, impressed, "That's something to be very proud of."

"She hasn't made it yet, Caroline," said Fitzwilliam.

"But she will, she's so accomplished. It's refreshing to see a woman of class achieve something in this world. There are hardly any accomplished woman today."

Lizzie detected Caroline's point was directed at her. Smiling to herself, Lizzie took the bait, casually.

"What do you consider to be a woman of class, Caroline?"

Caroline smiled. "An accomplished woman should have manners in every situation. She should have knowledge of music, art, different languages, engage in athletic activities, and if possible, be appealing in appearance."

Lizzie smiled. Funny, that everything on the list of the "accomplished woman" fit Caroline.

"What about a career?" Lizzie smiled, knowing she had hit a sensitive place for Caroline and Caroline quickly countered back.

"Are you saying that a person's career defines them?"

"Absolutely not, but according to you, to be accomplished, a woman must do all of these things. I merely added something else to an already extensive list."

"And she left something off that list," added Fitzwilliam without looking up. Of course, he would need to add something.

"Yes?" Lizzie crossed her arms, challenging him.

"The improvement of the mind. Everyone should constantly be trying to better themselves," he said calmly. Lizzie was surprised. She actually agreed with him.

"I agree," said Caroline smiling, "How would one do this, Will?"

"Reading, and not just fluff romances that most woman read today."

Lizzie's eyes flared slightly. She knew he was referring to Little Woman, but she ignored him and focused on Caroline.

"I'm no longer surprised Caroline, that you find no accomplished woman. Do you know why that is? It's because the standards are too high. You will find no woman today that can do ALL of those things well."

"You are very severe on woman, Elizabeth." Caroline practically purred her name. Not the happy purr. The kind of purr that announced when a cat was about to attack.

"I speak as I find," said Lizzie.

"I think everyone here is accomplished," said Bingley, coming from behind them. Lizzie knew his timing was perfect because Caroline was about to say something back and it was likely to be an insult. Lizzie smiled at Charlie. He was always so kind and attempted to keep the atmosphere fun and friendly.

Jane and Charlotte came up from downstairs. Everyone piled into the limo and Lizzie purposefully sat in between Jane and Charlotte who were unaware of the earlier conversation. Lizzie was determined to keep it that way. She didn't want Jane having any more insecurities and hearing Caroline's list would only worry her more.

The restaurant was higher end than Lizzie had ever been to. She felt awkward as they stared at the menu. The prices were not on the menu which made ordering difficult. She loved free food but did not want to take advantage of Charlie's goodness.

She was the last to order so she decided to just order the same thing as Charlotte, who had whispered to her that pasta couldn't be that expensive. Lizzie hoped that was true.

She didn't pay attention to the conversation until Bingley exclaimed, "William Darcy, I can't believe you did that."

Lizzie missed what had actually happened, but she was confused by the name. Charlotte also looked confused.

"William Darcy?" She asked out loud. Fitzwilliam looked down at his plate without saying anything. Caroline started with no hesitation.

"That's his name, Elizabeth."

"I thought his name was Fitzwilliam."

"It is," said Fitzwilliam firmly.

"So your name is William Fitzwilliam?" asked Lizzie, and everyone but Caroline and Fitzwilliam laughed.

"No," he simply said.

"Well, then what it is?"

"I'll explain," said Charlie leaning forward, "His legal name is Dr. William Darcy, but in the medical world he goes by Dr. Fitzwilliam."

"Why?" Charlotte leaned forward, clearly asking Fitzwilliam but he did not answer.

"I know why," said Lizzie confidently and Fitzwilliam looked up to meet her eyes.

"Because Dr. Darcy sounds stupid," said Lizzie, and the table once again broke into laughter-except Darcy and Caroline. Caroline, who always seemed to defend him, started talking over the laughter.

"No, that is not it. He merely wants recognition for his work and not his family's work," she said, clearly showing that she believed she was above their childish behavior.

"Why do you want to be separate from your family?" asked Charlotte.

"His family," explained Charlie, "as in Darcy De Bourgh Law."

"Wait. The law firm empire in New York?" asked Charlotte.

"Yes, Will's the heir to that," said Caroline, smiling at him proudly, as though it was part of her accomplishment.

"Wow, a family of lawyers, "said Lizzie smiling mischievously, "This explains so much, Darcy."

He stared at her without any facial expression.

"I understand it," said Jane to everyone's surprise, "Coming from that, I would want to change my name, too. You want to make it on your own. It's noble, really William."

"Thank you," was he all he said.

"So, why Fitzwilliam?"

"My mother's maiden name."

"That's sweet of you," said Jane.

"It was simply practical," he said getting red in the face, "Can we please change the subject now?"

"Whatever you say, Darcy" said Lizzie raising her glass, "Cheers everyone!"

As she sipped her water, she felt his eyes on her, but she smiled. She would never ever call him Fitzwilliam again.


	6. Chapter 6

When they arrived back at the house, everyone went downstairs to watch Darcy and Charles play pool. It wasn't a close game. But to be fair, Charles was constantly distracted by Jane whose cheers and encouragement did nothing to help his game. Darcy took full advantage of Charles's distracted mind and beat him handsomely.

Caroline challenged Darcy to a game next and Lizzie expected another easy game for him. She was surprised to find that Caroline was a better opponent than Charlie. Perhaps, Lizzie did not give Caroline enough credit. Maybe, she did have more skills than complaints and snide remarks.

Bored with watching, and also bored of Caroline's attempts to banter with Darcy, Lizzie pulled out her book. She didn't care that Darcy thought she was reading fluff, she enjoyed it. She didn't come back to reality until she heard Caroline sigh as Darcy defeated her. Lizzie looked around and realized she was alone with them. How had that happened? Where had Charles, Jane, and Charlotte all gone?

"I certainly knew I couldn't take you but maybe we'll have to play tennis at some point. I might just take you there," said Caroline.

"I have no doubt, Caroline. You grew up playing and I did not and have little, if any, experience," said Darcy putting away the equipment.

"I guess it's a date then," said Caroline.

Lizzie fought very hard to not let a smile escape her. It was painfully obvious to her Caroline was attempting to be subtle in her attempt to spend time with Darcy, but in this case, she had failed in subtlety.

Caroline, clearly, wanted Darcy as more than just a friend. He, however, was not interested. Still, it did not stop her advances. Lizzie wondered if she didn't see that Darcy was uninterested or she just was too stubborn to give up.

"No thanks Caroline," he replied, not looking at her, "I hate tennis. I would be terrible company."

"Yes, but you could try."

"Elizabeth," Darcy said quickly, startling Lizzie, "Do you play?"

Lizzie looked up to see him gesturing towards the pool table.

"Not even a little," said Lizzie, then quickly added, "And I have no desire for any tips."

"How about air hockey then?"

Cleary, he was desperate to get Caroline off his back. Not that Lizzie blamed him. Caroline's advances were tedious and Lizzie wasn't even the one receiving the affection.

"I'll play you, Darcy," Caroline said. Poor girl. She really didn't know how to hide it. Darcy watched Lizzie waiting for her answer.

Tough decision. Help Darcy and make Caroline upset or help Caroline and make Darcy upset. Lizzie had to make a choice. After all, she had to work with one of them.

"Fine, air hockey, one game."

Caroline took a seat right by the table. Even if she wasn't playing, she was going to be involved.

The air hockey game was actually very talkative. Unfortunately, it was Caroline who did all of the talking. Darcy and Lizzie said nothing. In fact, the game started out with both of them seeming to have an air of indifference, but that changed almost immediately. Darcy scored on her twice within thirty seconds, and his smug smile was simply too outrageous for Lizzie to take. She felt her competitiveness streak rear up, so she rolled up her sleeves. Game on.

The intensity and back and forth nature of the game had the added bonus of (mostly) muting Caroline's commentary. It finally came down to a tie game with one point to win. Lizzie let out a cry of victory when Darcy missed her bullseye. Jumping up and down, she was shocked when Caroline joined her in the cheering. Lizzie stopped cheering immediately and stared at Caroline.

"I am all for anyone who can beat William," she said, defending her actions, "He always wins."

"That's not true," he said frowning, and putting the hockey puck away.

"Yes, it is Will, don't be so modest," she said despite his protest, "Did you know Lizzie, he finished in the top 10% of his class at Medical school?"

"Impressive," said Lizzie. Despite her dislike, that was an achievement to be recognized. Nursing school had been difficult so Lizzie could only imagine how stressful and difficult med school must have been.

"He's without fault," said Caroline, and she put her arm on Lizzie's shoulder. Lizzie had to bite her tongue hard as Caroline's attempts to flatter Darcy became ludicrous and laughable.

"Is he really?" asked Lizzie amused.

"That's impossible. Everyone has their faults," said Darcy firmly.

"Really? Then, what are some of yours?" Lizzie asked this and moved so Caroline would drop her arm. Lizzie hated feeling Caroline's arm touching her shoulder.

Darcy was quiet. Lizzie thought he wouldn't answer, but she was wrong.

"Vanity, I suppose."

Lizzie was surprised, and a little impressed that he would attempt a thoughtful answer to such a personal question. "Vanity? Makes sense, I suppose, with your upbringing that vanity and pride would be difficult to overcome."

"Vanity is a weakness," he clarified, "But pride. I believe I have that under control.

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

Lizzie stared at him. How in the world could he think that? Truly, Dr. Darcy's arrogance was astounding.

"So, I suppose the cliché that surgeons have a god complex is unfounded and without proof," she said, no longer hiding her accusing, sarcastic tone.

"Yes, it usually is. Especially when it comes from people who don't bother to take the time to get to know them, and who judge them before they even know them," he replied his voice elevated slightly.

"Really, you want to go there?"

"Why wouldn't I? I have nothing to be ashamed of."

"Surgeons never bother to get to know their nurses."

"And nurses take so much care to get to know surgeons? Hardly. In fact, you willfully misunderstand them. Any chance you get to criticize or gossip about a perceived fault is readily jumped at.

Lizzie had been about to reply when Caroline piped up.

"Hey, Darcy, how about another game of pool?"

The silence was awkward as Darcy stared at Lizzie a moment longer before muttering that he was tired. He went up the stairs without looking back and Caroline quickly followed him like a puppy nipping at their owner's heels.

Lizzie turned to go to her room when she was surprised to see Charlotte watching her with her mouth wide open.

"What?"

"What was that?"

"Nothing," said Lizzie sliding past her into their room.

"That was not nothing, what would have happened if Caroline hadn't played peacekeeper? Which by the way is really a change- that Caroline was the one playing peacekeeper."

"I suppose, we would have broken into another argument."

"Yeah. Too late for that," said Charlotte, "You should really apologize."

"What?"

"We work with him every day. Do you really want to be at odds with him?"

"Believe me, "said Lizzie, grabbing her pajamas, "He'll be perfectly professional. That man lives for professionalism in the work place."

"But that also means you need to be professional."

"I'm always professional."

"No, you and Dr. Fitzwilliam ("Darcy," Lizzie interjected.) may technically be professional but really, you guys are having some sick contest. I'm frankly tired of it. Darcy this, Darcy that" said Charlotte.

Lizzie paused. She had been complaining about him a lot lately. She didn't blame Charlotte for being tired of it.

"I'm sorry," said Lizzie, "I will try to get along with him better."

"That's all I'm saying," said Charlotte, "Let's change the subject."

They had originally planned to stay till Sunday night but Darcy was called in for an early Monday surgery so he needed to get back. Caroline volunteered to head back early with Darcy and Charlotte soon volunteered as well, wanting to get back.

Everyone, being exhausted, decided to head back early.

Lizzie was the first person out, and she had a reason for it. Entering the limo, she carefully seated herself in the corner and got out her book before anyone else got in. She ignored everyone for the rest of the drive and was pleasantly pleased how fast they arrived back at Bingley's.

She grabbed her luggage quickly and hurried to her car. Starting the engine, she slid into the front seat and drew a deep breath. She had made it. The weekend was over. Charlotte followed quickly, but she was in a considerably better mood. Jane had already made plans with Charles so Lizzie started the car.

As Lizzie pulled out, she rolled down the window. She didn't want to be rude. Rude to Bingley anyways.

"Thank you so much for the fabulous weekend, Charles. It was awesome," she said smiling at him.

"Oh, it was my pleasure Lizzie. Charlotte, it was wonderful having you too," he said waving at her.

"We'll have to do it again sometime! Caroline, it was nice to get to know you," said Charlotte. Caroline had been walking past the car without even glancing in their direction. When addressed, she turned to the car with a fake sweet smile.

"It was certainly a pleasure. And Lizzie, I'll never forget your spirit," she added.

Lizzie looked up. Although Caroline had phrased it to be a compliment, Lizzie knew what Caroline really meant. Glancing at Jane, Lizzie calmly replied.

"Thanks. It was nice to get to know you too."

Darcy suddenly appeared by Caroline's side. He didn't seem to be looking at them either but that didn't stop Charlotte.

"It was nice to hang outside of work Dr. Fitzwilliam," she called.

"It was wonderful getting to know you, Charlotte," he said. Lizzie grinned inwardly. Yes, getting to know her was wonderful. Lizzie, he could have gone without.

"And you too, Lizzie," he added.

Lizzie looked at him surprised. Could Darcy read her mind? She was even more surprised when he gave her a wave. Not knowing what to do, she waved back.

"Alright, we'll be going. See you guys tomorrow," said Lizzie and she rolled up her window. She quickly pulled out and let out a deep breath as they turned the corner.

"Thank goodness, that's over!"

"Well, I actually enjoyed myself," said Charlotte.

"I admit there were some fun moments," agreed Lizzie.

Lizzie literally kissed the floor when they made it back to the apartment. She had never been so happy to see a place in her life.

The whole trip hadn't been a waste. She could at least name one highlight. Charles. He was a good man. Possibly even good enough for Jane, something which was, by no means, easy to achieve.

Monday morning came far too quickly and Lizzie got on the subway with a slight attitude. When she arrived at the hospital, Mrs. Gardiner was waiting for her with coffee in hand.

"Here you go pretty thing," she said warmly.

"Morning," said Lizzie taking a big swig, "I'm so tired."

"Goodness, I thought you and Charlotte were having a weekend away. Usually, that means someone is going to be refreshed."

"Yeah, weekend away was canceled because of the snow," said Lizzie, "We went with Jane and Charles instead."

"Still constitutes as a weekend away, Lizzie."

"Skiing is not my thing."

"Well, I'm sorry, but Christmas is getting closer, so that should cheer you up," she said giving Lizzie's shoulder a squeeze.

"That's true," admitted Lizzie. "So, what is it you need?"

"A lawyer is coming."

"Seriously? Did we do something wrong?"

"No, he's just looking over some of our policies. Dr. Fitzwilliam looked them over and recommended we make some changes," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"Well, he would know. He is from a family of lawyers."

"Yes, he is."

"Wait," said Lizzie, "You knew that. SO, you must know his real name is Darcy."

"Of course I knew that, it's in his paperwork," said Mrs. Gardiner laughing.

"Right. I would know that because I spy on people's papers," said Lizzie laughing.

"You wish you could spy on people's papers," said Mrs. Gardiner smugly.

"True. So, what about this lawyer?"

"I just thought you could show him around. Give him what he needs so he'll like us," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"That's a favor," said Lizzie thoughtfully, "You've asked a lot of those lately."

"I know, how about I owe you?"

"I already know what I want."

"Makes me nervous that you do but what will it be?"

Lizzie smiled. "I want to travel with Dr. Gardiner and you on your next big surgery trip. You always take someone and I want it to be me next time."

"Deal."

Hours later, Lizzie had forgotten she was supposed to be looking for this lawyer. She only was reminded of it when she spotted her sister Jane being chased around by a short plump man.

Seeing Jane struggling to continue working, Lizzie approached.

"It was so fortunate for me, now I'm able to travel across the country doing jobs for her. It's wonderful," the man was saying while Jane nodded absently.

"Hey, Jane. Who is this?" Lizzie didn't hesitate when it came to guys bugging Jane. She had learned to just be up front and honest with them.

"This is William Collins. He's a lawyer that the hospital hired."

"Oh right, I am so sorry Mr. Collins. I was supposed to assist you and I'm afraid I lost track of time," said Lizzie smiling and trying to take his attention away from Jane.

"It's perfectly alright, I've been enjoying getting to know Jane here," he said, turning back and smiling at Jane, at which she flushed and looked away.

"Jane needs to get back to work but I'll help you," said Lizzie and she purposefully took his arm and led him away.

"How do you know Jane?" he asked.

"I'm her sister."

"Oh wow, that must be wonderful. Sisterhood is a precious thing I'm told."

"Yes it is," said Lizzie, "What can I help you with?"

"Well, I suppose the files that I'm supposed to look at and a quiet room," he said.

"Super, I can do that."

Lizzie led him to a break room and managed to get the correct paperwork from Mrs. Gardiner. Upon arrival though, Collins seemed more interested in talking to her than looking at the hospital policies.

"I'm so thankful for this job. My firm is taking confidence in me which leaves me eternally grateful. Plus, my boss, my heroine, Catherine De Bourg sent me on this job."

"Really?"

"Yes, I have been her associate for several years now and she's letting me go out on my own this time. Of course, I'll send her my work so she can look over it. She never lets me turn things in without looking over them first."

"Such confidence indeed," said Lizzie under her breath, but Collins paid no mind.

"Catherine De Bourg is a true saint. She even helped me with some of my debts from school. I don't know where I would be without her."

"That's amaz-Wait," said Lizzie, as his words finally registered. "Did you say De Bourg?"

"Yes, Catherine De Bourg."

"So, you're from Darcy De Bourg Law?"

"Yes, I am. The best firm in the world. Catherine De Bourg has done so much for it."

Lizzie remembered Mrs. Gardiner saying Darcy had recommended a place so it would make sense that he would recommend his own firm.

"Darcy, her nephew, is actually a surgeon at this hospital," Collins continued.

"Wait, your boss is his aunt?"

"Yes, that's why I was especially sent and why Mrs. De Bourg will be taking a personal interest."

"I see, so the firm is really a family firm," said Lizzie.

"Absolutely," said Collins, "But others can succeed. I'm not family but I'm moving up. All thanks to Catherine De Bourg."

Lizzie learned the hard way that if she stayed in the room, Collins would keep talking. And his talking consisted almost exclusively of droning on and on about "the amazing Catherine De Bourg." Lizzie, eventually finding an excuse, snuck out of the room. She dodged down the hallway where she let a long tired sigh. Charlotte came around the corner and spotted her.

"Hey! I've hardly seen you today," said Charlotte cheerfully.

"That's because I've been dealing with the most annoying man on this planet," said Lizzie, collapsing on the counter in front of them.

"Oh really? Who is that?"

"William Collins."

"Oh," said Charlotte looking surprised, "I thought you were going to say Darcy."

"No, he is the most insufferable man, Collins is the most annoying. Keep up Charlotte!"

"My mistake," said Charlotte smiling, "Who is this Collins?"

"He's the lawyer the hospital hired. He's updating some hospital policies," said Lizzie.

"Got it, some lawyers can be tiresome."

"Yes, I didn't know that before, but now…I really do."

Lizzie's attention was quickly diverted when she spotted William Collins talking to Jane once again. How had he escaped? Sighing, she excused herself from Charlotte and started to walk towards them, but was relieved when Mrs. Gardiner got there first.

Mrs. Gardiner walked him back to the break room and motioned for Lizzie to join her.

"I'm sorry, I only left him for one minute," said Lizzie.

"Oh darling, forget about it. I just wanted to give you some warning. I thought I was doing your sister a favor by mentioning that she had a boyfriend which he was disappointed in."

"I think that's a favor, not a warning," said Lizzie laughing.

"Yes, well, just keep that in mind. Because, well, he then asked what your status was."

Lizzie closed her eyes as that sank in. "Oh no..."

"Yes, and I didn't really know, because I didn't know. So, that's what I said," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"Oh no. Oh no."

"And then he asked for you to come back to the break room. To assist him."

"Oh no!"

"Come on," Mrs. Gardiner said, forcing some positivity into her voice. "Lawyers aren't that bad."

"Not interested!"

"When was the last date you had, Lizzie?"

"Hey, personal!" said Lizzie, "When was the last date you had?"

"Last night," said Mrs. Gardiner smugly.

"Ugh, no fair. You have a fabulous husband to take you out."

"That I do. But you should get back out there. You are a fabulous catch," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"Thanks, but I would prefer to not date someone who already has an obsession with another woman," said Lizzie, "His boss, Catherine De Bourg—he simply can't stop talking about her and it gives me the creeps."

"So, you're not interested," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"Not interested is an understatement."

"Yeah, well, I don't know him well but if you don't like him then I don't either. I trust your judgement," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Just keep in mind what I said about dating. You really should get out there. I wasn't kidding about you being a catch."

Lizzie waved her off half-heartedly and headed back into the break room. Her shift could not be over soon enough.


	7. Chapter 7

After her shift was over, Lizzie went downtown to do some shopping. She was seriously behind on basic necessities and had barely avoided the awkwardness of Charlotte catching her red handed stealing tooth paste.

She took a quick break ordering a coffee at a local coffee shop that she had never been to before. As she was about to leave, she noticed one of her fellow nurses sitting at a table in the corner.

"Denny," she said approaching the table.

"Hey, Lizzie, he said putting down his phone, "Just get done?"

"Little bit ago, I'm now running errands and thought I would get some coffee. Do you come here often? Coffee any good?"

"My new roommate is the one who showed me this place so this is only my second time but yes, I enjoy the coffee," he said, taking a small sip. "Care to sit?"

"Sure," said Lizzie sliding in a chair, "Why not."

"How does the OR run these days?"

"Strict and professional," said Lizzie struggling with her first sip of coffee.

"Sounds like ice."

"It's not too bad."

"What's not too bad?" This was spoken by a man who took the seat next to Denny.

"Lizzie, this is my new roommate, George Wickham, George, this is one of my coworkers, Lizzie Bennet."

George Wickham gave her a side smile and shook her hand. Lizzie immediately felt a sensation when their eyes and skin met and she retreated her hand quickly. His eyes were a deep, dancing, brown which lit up whenever he smiled. Taking a big sip of coffee, Lizzie's eyes began to water as her burnt mouth screamed for water.

"You new to town George?" choked Lizzie, trying to cover for her mistake.

Wickham smiled warmly and picked up a napkin which he handed to her. Lizzie, cheeks red accepted the gesture and wiped her mouth with the napkin.

"Yes, actually, I've recently taken a small temp job here. Hoping to find something a bit more permanent," Wickham said in a pleasing voice, "Denny was good enough to take a stranger as a roommate."

"Well, I won't room with my friends. Friendships are ruined when you move in together," said Denny.

"So, we can't be friends?"

"And we can't be roommates?" Lizzie added, with a twinkle in her eye.

"No, and yes," Denny said firmly. "George, you've started out as a roommate so we can be friends. Lizzie, you were a friend first so you can't transition to a roommate."

"Where did you learn that? I've never heard it," said Lizzie.

"I've heard friends shouldn't move in together and I have to admit I agree with Denny on that," said George.

"Bad past experiences," said Lizzie putting her elbows on the table and staring down Wickham, "That's the only way you would agree."

"Exactly," said George and their eyes connected once again, but Lizzie quickly broke the connection.

"Well, I room with my sister and my best friend is over constantly so she's basically our honorary third roommate so I'm not sure I agree," said Lizzie.

Denny shrugged. "A sibling is different."

"True," said Lizzie, "Even I agree with that. But Charlotte is no sibling and we could room together."

"Fine, it might be different for some people," admitted Denny.

"Cleary," said George.

"I guess some wisdom just isn't appreciated in its time," said Denny. "I'm getting a muffin to go."

He left leaving Lizzie and George alone. Lizzie looked down at her hands trying not to be give off nervousness. It had been awhile since the mere presence of a guy made her stomach flip.

"So," he said leaning forward over the table, "Who is Lizzie Bennet?"

"What?"

"Who is Lizzie Bennet? Or are you one of those people who are still finding themselves?"

"No," said Lizzie laughing, "I don't think so. And, you should pick a different topic. I'm not that interesting."

"I doubt that. Come on, describe yourself in three words," he said, but upon the shaking of her head, he added, "I'll do it too. I'll even go first."

"Fine," said Lizzie sitting back in her chair and folding her arms.

"Wow, taking a defensive position," George said pointing at her arms. Lizzie merely shrugged.

"Alright," he said doing the same, "My first word is…adventurous."

"Really?"

"Why is that surprising?"

"It's not. You have a certain fire in your eyes. My first word, introvert."

"Ah, she's into psychology," said George smiling, "But, if I were to make a guess, I would say you are an introvert with a fire of a personality."

"Maybe, your turn, "said Lizzie.

"Alright, optimistic."

"Interesting."

"Is that your word or is that your response because I certainly agree that you're very interesting," George said smiling at her. Lizzie's butterflies returned. One thing was certain, the guy was smooth.

"My second word is passionate," said Lizzie.

"About what?"

Lizzie considered it a moment. "Family, friends, books…and I guess my job."

"You're a reader?"

"Yes."

"I wished I read more," said Wickham sighing, "There always seems to be so much more to do. Like, watching the movie."

"Blasphemy," said Lizzie, "The movies are never as good as the book."

"Much shorter though."

"Shorter is not always better."

"Touché," said Wickham, "I admit defeat." He smiled.

Wickham had this calming effect. He made her feel at ease, yet, she felt excitement. She was intrigued by him which was unusual for her. She was not the type to be swept off her feet quickly.

Denny rejoined them which left Lizzie disappointed. She wanted to talk to Wickham more but they had to leave. Sadly, she waved them off. With no reason to stay, she finished her coffee and threw the cup away.

Once she was on the subway, she heard her phone ding. Reaching for it, she was pleasantly surprised.

 **I never got your third word. So, instead of asking, I used it as an excuse for Denny to get your number. Hope that's okay.**

Lizzie quickly replied.

Lizzie: **Lol. That's perfectly okay. You give me your third word and I'll give you mine.**

Wickham: **Determined.**

Lizzie: **Hence not giving me a chance to turn down giving out my cell phone number.**

Wickham: **Exactly. I'm not an idiot.**

Lizzie: **Hmmm, I could still turn down my third word.**

Wickham. **Nope. You said if I gave my third word you would give your third word.**

Lizzie: **I never promised.**

Wickham: **Come on. How about I give a fourth word? And, I'll make it super personal so you feel better.**

Lizzie: **What makes you think that would help?**

Wickham: **Because I'm betting your third word is extremely personal and you're scared to share yours. So, I'll give a phrase which is more than you have to give. Poor without prospects.**

Lizzie: **I do admit that sucks.**

Wickham: **Well, I'm trying to be honest. Now, come on. Don't leave me hanging!**

Lizzie: **Fine.**

Wickham: **Is that it? Cause that's boring and you are not boring. Plus, I'm pretty sure you have a decent grasp of the vocabulary system.**

Lizzie: **What's a vocabulary?**

Wickham: **Stop messing around. What's your word? I promise I'll leave you alone for the rest of the day if you give it.**

Lizzie realized they were at her stop. She got up and stepped off and started walking home. She sent one last text before she got home.

Lizzie: **Single**

Christmas came quickly due to Lizzie and Jane's long hours. They both worked on Christmas Eve so they arrived to the Bennet house on Christmas day, both tired but in good spirits. The traditional, and gigantic, Christmas brunch was awaiting them. Everyone sat down to enjoy it. Mrs. Bennet particularly was in high spirits because she had big aspirations for Jane.

"Jane, dear," she began, "This relationship with this man of yours has gone on for longer than two months now. I think it's time that we met him. Your father wishes to meet him as well."

"I've already spoken to him," said Mr. Bennet sitting in his leather chair with a slight grin on his face as he scooped himself some eggs.

"You have? When?" Mrs. Bennet looked as though she had swallowed a whole bin of lemons. She looked at Jane, bewildered, who shook her head in ignorance.

"Don't get upset with Jane my darling, Charles called me early on asking if it was alright if he dated my daughter. I simply gave him my blessing."

"Mr. Bennet. I would have loved to talk to him," Mrs. Bennet wailed, "Why did you not hand the phone to me? Or frankly, tell me this piece of information?"

"Mom, I'll bring him here soon," said Jane. Lizzie shook her head slightly but Jane looked away with determination. "I'll ask him for his schedule and we'll plan something. He wants to meet you."

"Well, fine. I suppose it's better than nothing." Mrs. Bennet still looked gloomy as Mr. Bennet chuckled with his cup of coffee.

Lizzie sighed silently. Truth was, everyone one of the Bennet girls avoided introducing their significant others to Mrs. Bennet. She, in truth, was awful at first introductions- always too excited at a potential spouse for whichever daughter was involved. And even when she got past that, she was awful at maintaining the relationships. Basically, Mrs. Bennet was awful with their boyfriends. Period.

And that didn't even include Mr. Bennet. True, he had better pleasantries than his wife, but, at the same time, his loner and hermit routine did not impress many potential future sons-in-law.

Then there were the sisters. Mary, who was about as pleasant as nails on a chalkboard, would bore others with talk of music philosophy. And, if anyone said anything she didn't agree with, she would turn her nose up at them. Frankly, Lizzie laughed at the thought of putting Mary and Caroline together and seeing whose head could go back the farthest.

Lydia and Kitty. Well, Lizzie was pretty sure both girls would flirt with Charlies all night. Yes, both girls weren't beyond flirting with their sister's boyfriend if they found the specimen pleasing. Not to mention their inability to keep from snickering and giggling.

Poor Jane.

Mrs. Bennet was still muttering about her displeasure at being left out. Lizzie decided to correct the situation.

"Mom, it's not like he has an easy schedule," said Lizzie, "Remember he is a surgeon." She emphasized these last words knowing it would change the topic from discouragement to sheer happiness.

Mrs. Bennet took the bait. She was thrilled for the rest of the meal and the topic was dropped. Lizzie gave Jane a wink who smiled down at her plate.

Just as they were finished opening presents much later in the day, Lizzie felt her phone buzz. She smiled when she saw the sender.

George: **Merry Christmas Lizzie!**

This had become fairly typical. George and Lizzie had been texting back and forth for a few weeks. Lizzie enjoyed the friendly banter but was secretly hoping that George would take it a step further. She quickly replied.

Lizzie: **Merry Christmas yourself. What list did you make? Nice? Naughty?**

George: **Lol, I think my fate is pretty determined. I'm betting you're on the nice list!**

Lizzie: **Don't know. Never believed in Santa so he might not have the biggest opinion of me.**

George: **Never? That's pretty sad.**

Lizzie: **See, you might have more Santa points than I do.**

George: **True, but I do have a way that you can gain some points! It would require you to do a great act of self-sacrifice and charity.**

Lizzie: **Ok? What is this great act?**

George: **I heard from Denny that you and your coworkers are going out to karaoke on New Year's Eve.**

Lizzie: **Yes, what about it?**

George: **I was hoping you would be my date that night?**

Lizzie: **So, let me get this straight. I'm going out with my friends and you want to turn it into a date? Plus, if it's a date, does that mean I have to do a duet with you?**

George: **Yup. But trust me. YOU want ME to be on your team for karaoke. I'm a killer in Karaoke!**

Lizzie: **Hmmm….well, I guess I'll have to trust you.**

George: **SO, is that a yes?**

Lizzie: **It's a date.**

Lizzie returned her attention back to her family. Christmas, which was already cheerful, now had a whole new glow.

Jane and Lizzie returned home a few days later their car significantly fuller due to gifts and shopping trips but Lizzie's heart was a full of compassion for Jane. Jane had finally given in to Mrs. Bennet's pleas for an introduction to Charles.

"I can't believe you caved Jane," said Lizzie on the freeway. "I think you could have held out longer. Mom would have forgiven you."

"I don't want to avoid it for forever. Besides, Charles parents want to meet me as well and it seems weird that I would meet them first when they live so far away while my parents are twenty minutes away."

"I guess that's true."

"Besides," said Jane, "I've already admitted to Charles that my family…is…well, a little eccentric."

"Eccentric?" Lizzie laughed.

Jane looked guilty but Lizzie placed a hand on her shoulder. "That was about the best word you could have used, Jane."

It didn't take long for Charlotte to appear in their apartment after they were home.

"Hey, I'm so glad you guys are back. Especially you, Lizzie," Charlotte said giving her a tight but firm hug.

"I missed you too Char Char," said Lizzie returning the hug.

"I'm going to head out guys," said Jane grabbing her coat.

"What? We just got back."

"Lizzie, I think someone's anxious to see her. Bingley has looked just a little said these last few days," said Charlotte.

"Oh right, my bad. Off you go!"

Jane waved back at them before she closed the door.

"Another person has really missed your absence," began Charlotte.

"Don't tell me. It's that Collins guy. Mrs. Gardiner told me that he was interested in me," said Lizzie, "Makes me want to gag."

"Oh," said Charlotte surprised, "He doesn't seem that bad."

"Not that bad. Ugh. He's the worst."

"Whatever, he wasn't even the person I was talking about."

Lizzie racked her brain. "Who?"

"Darcy."

"Yeah right," snorted Lizzie, "He's just sad he didn't have anyone to correct and prod at during his day."

"Um, yes, he did," said Charlotte, "Me."

"Oh, right. How was that?"

"Fine. I didn't mean to imply that he was mean. He was just…different I don't know. He asked me when you were getting back."

"Well, I have a shift tomorrow."

"I told him that."

Returning to work on Monday, Lizzie was cheerful. Most people dread going back to work but Lizzie, strangely, did enjoy her job. She was greeted by several people and she laughed hearing crazy stories she missed.

In the locker room, she was sitting with people laughing when Darcy came in. Everyone immediately grew quiet and left promising Lizzie they would catch up later.

"Miss Bennet, good to have you back," he said nodding at her.

"Thanks Dr. Darcy," Lizzie said flipping her hair down so it would go up in a ponytail. "How were things when I was gone? I heard you didn't go home at all for the holidays."

"Things were normal for the holidays. Busy."

"Sounds typical, so what did I do?"

Darcy looked at her surprised. "What do you mean?"

"You always come to the locker room if you need something or if I have done something wrong. So which one is it?"

Darcy narrowed his eyes for a moment. "I just wanted to give you today's schedule." He handed her a sheet.

"Okay, well, I'll get ready," said Lizzie taking the sheet and walking past him.

The day was hard. The shift just dragged and Lizzie kept yawning and blowing her nose. Lizzie took some vitamins but she knew it was too late. Somehow, she had caught a cold. Her dad had been getting one they day Jane and Lizzie had left for home.

Lizzie was relieved when her shift was finally over. She was about to head to the subway when Jane snaked her arm.

"Come on Lizzie, you're tired and sick. Let me drive you home?"

Lizzie smiled and nodded. A nice, comfortable car seat sounded way more appealing than the subway at this point.

Lizzie had gone straight to bed when they got home-per Jane's request. Lizzie woke later to the wonderful smell of chicken soup cooking in the kitchen. Lizzie's heart was instantly warmed at Jane's thoughtfullness.

This was Jane. She could always sense when Lizzie was having a hard day and in turn, would rise to the occasion splendidly. Chicken soup was Lizzie's ultimate comfort food. When Lizzie walked out, Jane was busy in the kitchen.

"Hey sleepy head, I made your favorite," said Jane as she presented Lizzie with a bowl of chicken soup with crackers in it.

"Thank you so much. You're my favorite sister."

"I hope not. You have 3 others and it's wrong to have favorites," said Jane, in a mild scolding voice which also hinted affection.

"Sure", said Lizzie winking and taking a sip of soup. Jane joined her at their counter on the bar stools. It was silent for a few moments, which was customary for them, both girls had a hearty appetite considering the long hours they worked.

"So, this might mean you can't do karaoke," said Jane after a while.

"Hmmmhmmm," murmured Lizzie still going at the soup, "Nothing is keeping me from karaoke on New Year's Eve."

"Why? I didn't know you were such a huge fan."

"No," Lizzie said putting down her spoon, "But I may have a date for that night!"

"What?" Jane squealed and hugged Lizzie. "Who?"

"George Wickham," said Lizzie grinning.

"The cute guy from the coffee shop? Roommates with Denny?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Lizzie, I'm so excited for you!"

"I know," said Lizzie, "Is Charles going to be there?"

"I don't think so, I think he has other plans with Darcy and Caroline."

There was a knock at the door. Jane got up and opened it to reveal Charlotte.

"Hello honorable third roommate," said Lizzie.

"Hey, you sound clogged up," said Charlotte walking into the kitchen. She smelled the soup and got herself some before joining them at the counter.

"Guess what Charlotte?" Jane looked positively proud as she leaned across Lizzie. "Lizzie, our very own Lizzie, has a date for karaoke."

"Oh," said Charlotte, "Collins?"

Lizzie choked on the soup she had currently been swallowing, after she had finished swallowing down the wrong pipe. She quickly corrected Charlotte. "Um. No."

"Well, then who?"

"George Wickham."

"The guy she met at the coffee shop," clarified Jane.

"That's exciting," said Charlotte, "Hopefully, this cold will be gone by then."

"It will," said Lizzie.

"I'll help make sure," said Jane squeezing her hands together. Her look was entirely too excited for Lizzie's taste. "What are you going to wear?"


	8. Chapter 8

Karaoke night came quickly and Lizzie was in complete health. She had been looking forward to this night for a while and her stomach filled with butterflies as they entered the karaoke bar. Lizzie and George had previously agreed to just meet there which kept it less stressful for her.

She scanned the bar and spotted him sitting with Denny, talking. Boy, he looked good but instead of approaching; Lizzie pulled out her phone and texted him.

Lizzie: **Hey. You look good.**

George looked at his phone where he smiled and that smile alone was enough to make Lizzie's butterflies return. George, looking up from his phone, spotted her. He waved one hand while responding to the text with the other.

George: **Yeah, well, a shower helps. You don't look good by the way.**

Lizzie: **Wow. Really scoring here.**

George: **You look amazing.**

Lizzie, blushing, looked up to see him approaching her.

"Smooth," she said as he got within ear shot, "How long did it take for you to plan that?"

"Just a month," he said sarcastically, "Good thing you do look amazing or I would have had to lie. So thanks for that."

"My pleasure."

"Let's find a table." He directed her towards one by the window and Lizzie was happy to have the solitude. She loved her coworkers that were at karaoke but she was hoping for some alone time with Wickham tonight.

"So, you love karaoke," said Lizzie taking a seat, "Why is that?"

"I've always loved music, he said taking a seat, "And, I grew up taking music lessons. You could say I'm somewhat gifted."

"Do you play any instruments?"

"Just guitar, piano, and a little percussion," he said waving his hand. "But I wasn't disciplined enough to continue past college."

"Well, that's already more than I did," admitted Lizzie impressed. "I only played piano."

"Were you any good?"

"Well," Lizzie said laughing, "Decent, I guess, but my sister Mary is amazing so anything I did felt inferior. So, I gave up."

"Do you sing?"

"I can carry a tune but nothing amazing."

"Great, we're going to kill it," he said looking excited. "May, I just saw again how amazing you look tonight."

"You may." He took her hand which made Lizzie's stomach exploded with butterflies. Wickham had this insane ability to make her feel at ease but yet, he gave off this contagious energy that made you want to run a marathon.

"I've been looking forward to this date for a while," he said which only increased the already redness of Lizzie's cheeks.

"We've only had it scheduled for a week," said Lizzie trying not to grin like an idiot and taking a drink of water.

"Trust me, I wanted to ask you out the moment I saw you. But, I figured that would be weird. I didn't want you to think I was stalker material."

"Well, I don't think that," said Lizzie. They stared at each other for a moment which didn't help her current exploding stomach. She was thankful when her coworkers started singing which distracted George from staring into her eyes. He started cheering and Lizzie joined him. This was going to be the prefect night.

Wickham was not lying. He could sing. When Lizzie and he went up, Lizzie was very nervous but Wickham's smooth voice comforted her but also encouraged her to go all out. His charisma and charm quickly took over the whole bar and everyone began singing along.

As they left the stage, everyone wanted Wickham to sing with them.

"Sorry," he said to everyone, "I'm with her tonight." Bravely, Lizzie reached for his hand and pulled him back towards their table. A few of her coworkers gave her an embarrassing thumbs up that she hoped Wickham didn't see.

Reaching their table, Lizzie noticed that her phone was buzzing. She picked it up and found a text message from Charlotte.

Charlotte: **Darcy is wondering if u can come in an hour earlier tomorrow. Can u?**

Lizzie sighed. Seriously? This would mean she would have to cut her date with George by an hour. Stupid Darcy.

Lizzie: **Fine. Tell him I'll be there. In protest.**

Charlotte: **I'll just tell him you'll be there. You can protest in person Have fun on your date!**

"What's up?"

Lizzie, annoyed, put her phone into her purse and sat down at the their table not bothering to hide her disappointment.

"Sorry, I have to go into work an hour earlier. My stupid boss, Darcy, wants me too."

"Wait," said George freezing, "Darcy?"

"Yeah."

"As in William Darcy?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Wow," said George sighing, "This is one small world." He leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms. He let out a small chuckle that implied he was more annoyed than humored at the news.

"You know him?"

"Yeah, I know him," said Wickham.

"Wow. I don't see you guys knowing each other," said Lizzie trying to think through her words carefully.

"What's your opinion of him? Honestly. I know he's your boss but give it to me."

"You want my honest opinion?"

"Yes, I do."

Lizzie sighed and looked around making sure no of her coworkers were in earshot.

"I don't like him at all. I find him prideful and arrogant," said Lizzie nervously watching Wickham's expression. He kept it blank which only worried Lizzie.

"Do you know…if he plans to stay at this hospital for long? Last I knew, he was near Boston."

"I don't know…why does it matter?"

"Matters a little but not that much," said Wickham deep in thought.

"How do you know him?"

"I grew up with him. We played tougher as children. He was my best friend," said Wickham and Lizzie was in shock. She had just insulted Darcy and George said they had been best friends. Would George hate her now?

"Oh," said Lizzie trying to cover, "I apologize for what I said. I was just-"

"Don't apologize", said Wickham cutting her off, "There is few who share that same opinion. And two of them are sitting at this table," he said looking at her smiling sadly.

"What? That's not true. He's not at all liked at the hospital," said Lizzie passionately, "Most of the nurses, besides the ones who think he's hot, but their opinion shouldn't matter much if you catch my drift. Anyways, most are disgusted by his cold, proud, manner."

"He wasn't always like that," joked Wickham, "He used to be friendly. Even a jokester at times."

"A jokester," said Lizzie. She could not picture that. The even bigger thing she couldn't picture was that Darcy and Wickham had grown up together. They seemed…so opposite.

"How is it possible that you grew up together? I mean, he comes from…well…"

"Wealth and class," said Wickham good naturedly, "Well, it may surprise you. I came from a similar place. Not near the same wealth as the Darcy's but more than average."

"Oh?"

"Yes, my father and his father were very close friends, actually. My father handled the Darcy finances and such. And when my father died, Mr. Darcy, Will's father, was very good to us. My mother and me. My mother, too, however, died not long after and Mr. Darcy sort of adopted me. Not officially but kept me close."

"I'm so sorry about your parents," said Lizzie gravely.

"It was hard but I've moved on," shrugged Wickham, "The Darcy's were very good to me. Living with them helped me forget I had no family left."

"Really? So, he's kind of your brother."

"No," said Wickham shaking his head, "The distinction was always clear. Not in a bad way. Mr. Darcy loved me like his own son but it was clear that I was not a Darcy. More so from the rest of the family then from him."

"So, what happened?"

"Well, to ensure my future. Mr. Darcy left me a money for college tuition and law school. It was my desire to enter that profession. All the Darcy's were in that and I really wanted to join the family firm. It was what I lived for back in those days. I think I was secretly hoping that I would finally be accepted wholly and completely if I became a lawyer", He smiled sadly and Lizzie reached forward taking his hand.

"But, Mr. Darcy, unfortunately died right after I finished college. And his son, Will…decided to take away the money that had been left for me for law school."

"What? Wasn't it yours legally?"

"In a way," said Wickham, "But you have to remember, Will comes from a family of lawyers. If anyone knew how to take it away. They did. So, I didn't have the money for law school. So, I never got to go."

"That's so cruel," said Lizzie, "But why? You said you had grown up being so close?"

"The closeness was more when we were kids. He is two years my senior and when he went off to college and I was still in high school, we grew a bit more distant."

"Did you go to the same college?"

"No," said Wickham, "Darcy went to Stanford. He's old money. Not to mention, to his credit, gets very good grades. He had his pick of colleges. I went to a more average college but I still got accepted to law school."

"So, he was already two years in med school when you finished college?"

"Yes, and Mr. Darcy had been sick for some time. I was closer than Darcy so I came home to see him more than Darcy did. I think that's when the wedge between us started."

"Because you went to his dying father," said Lizzie sarcastically, "Yes, I could see how that would make him angry."

"We grew close," explained Wickham, "Will's father, Mr. Darcy, was a great man Lizzie. Truly, one of the greatest men I have ever known. Will, I believe, became jealous of our relationship. He then struck back at me in the only way he could. Financially."

"But, it was his father's wish for you to go to law school? Was he really that jealous? To defy his father's wishes is…well. It's just cruel and inhuman. He should be disgraced," said Lizzie.

"Someday. But not by me," said Wickham shrugging.

"Why?"

"His father, Lizzie, "said Wickham, "I loved his father and respected him. I will not drag that family name down but voicing it. So, please keep this to yourself. I don't want everyone knowing."

"Absolutely, I won't tell anyone," said Lizzie, "I just don't understand how you stay so cheerful."

"Because I have so much to be thankful for," said Wickham, "I have a job, a great roommate, plus, I'm on a date with the prettiest girl I've ever seen." He smiled and Lizzie laughed.

"You keep talking like that and there just may be a second date."

"Oh, I'm planning on it, he said releasing her hand, "Now, let's do another song?"

"Alright! But then, let's get some chips and salsa, I'm hungry," said Lizzie standing up.

"Deal."

"It's just a little hard to believe Lizzie," said Jane, "That's all I'm saying."

Lizzie had returned home from her date with George and she had immediately filled Jane in on George's past. More specifically, Darcy's cruel nature.

"I know Darcy can seem distant but from what I've seen, he is a good guy. I have a hard time believing that he would go against his father's wishes," said Jane.

"So, you're saying George lied about this?"

"I don't know," admitted Jane.

"I can more easily imagine Darcy being who George says he is that George make up an entire history. He gave me names, facts. Besides, he is a great guy. I can say more about him than I can Darcy."

"I believe," said Jane with a hint of a smile, "That someone may be slightly biased on this."

"What?"

"Come on Lizzie, you really like him?"

Lizzie grinned. "Yes, I really do. There's something about him…he's so exciting and energetic yet I can talk to him on a deep level. Yes. Fine. I admit I like him a lot."

"I'm so happy for you. But, I just want to say one thing."

"Okay."

"You have known George for a small portion of time. Yes, you've texted and now you've been on a date with him. Really, you haven't known him that long. Agree?"

"Yes, I agree," said Lizzie.

"So, it's quite a lot of information to believe quickly," said Jane, "Just think about it. I'm puzzled too. I don't know what to think myself."

"I know exactly what to think," said Lizzie grabbing a soda from the fridge. "But, I'll still treat Darcy professionally."

"Thank you."

There had been many moments in which Lizzie was embarrassed of her mother. There wasn't much that Mrs. Bennet could do that would surprise either Jane or Lizzie. But, on that morning, Lizzie was shocked once again by her mother's tenacity.

Lizzie was just arriving to work that morning when she spotted Mrs. Bennet walking towards her carrying a tray of brownies.

"Mom?"

"Hello dear, I was just looking for Jane. Is she around?"

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Lizzie quickly scanned the area making sure Charles was out of sight. One rule for boyfriends meeting Mrs. Bennet was never to be unprepared. Too late.

"I came to meet Charles. I figured that since he is always working that I would make it easy by showing up at the hospital."

"Mom. That's really unprofessional. You can't show up for a social visit." Lizzie panicked and pulled her mom into the locker room.

"Lizzie. Stop pulling me!"

"Mom. You have to leave now. This is a hospital. There are sick people here."

"Lizzie, don't talk to me like I'm five years old. I'm not going to stay long. I just want to introduce myself and give him some brownies. It won't take long."

"Mom. Please no."

"Miss Bennet?"

To Lizzie's horror, Darcy had appeared in the locker room. She looked at the clock. Yes, he was on time which meant she was late. Plus, her mother was here.

"I'm sorry Doctor, my mom was just dropping off some brownies. She's leaving now."

But Mrs. Bennet was looking at Darcy with wide eyes. Happy eyes.

"A doctor are we?" Mrs. Bennet said this looking between Lizzie and Darcy.

"I'm a surgeon." Darcy said this in a bored voice. Mrs. Bennet took a step closer to Darcy and she smiled gleefully.

"Wow. It's so wonderful to meeting so many surgeons. My daughter, Jane, is dating Dr. Charles Bingley. Do you know him?"

"A little," Darcy said in a bored, distant voice.

Lizzie closed her eyes in embarrassment. This was not happening. This was not happening.

"Well, I'm not surprised my daughter Jane is dating a surgeon. She is by far my prettiest daughter. But Lizzie, here," said Mrs. Bennet pulling Lizzie to her side, "She is also very beautiful. And she is single."

"Okay mom," said Lizzie flabbergasted and unable to look at Darcy, "It's time for you to go."

"We'll talk later Miss Bennet. I trust you'll be ready to work when you come," and he left but not without giving Mrs. Bennet a cold look. Lizzie didn't blame him one bit. Her mother had just thrown Lizzie at him.

"Well, have you ever met someone so gruff and displeasing?" Mrs. Bennet huffed, "I can't believe the way he acted."

"Mom. That was my boss."

"He is supposed to be a gentlemen Lizzie. Gentlemen, behave with friendliness. I only hope that Jane's boyfriend is nothing like Dr. Darcy or whatever his name was," she said walking out of the locker room before Lizzie could stop her.

Thankfully, Charles was an absolute delight. He accepted Mrs. Bennet's fan girl comments and made her squeal with happiness. Lizzie, once again, grew to respect him more. He, despite Mrs. Bennet's obnoxious behavior, he remained a pleasant gentlemen.

Jane, at first was terrified, but with Charles impressive behavior, she relaxed. She kept exchanging small glances with him which Lizzie caught on too. They were in love and Lizzie's heart warmed watching these little subtle communications between them.

As soon as she could manage it, Lizzie got Mrs. Bennet away from Charles.

"He is just a wonderful man. This is it Lizzie. This is the man Jane's going to marry. Mark my words. Oh my word. A doctor. How exciting!"

Lizzie didn't bother to stop her. She had similar feelings but she would certainly not say it out loud.

She led Mrs. Bennet to the front doors, where they ran into someone coming into the hospital.

"Lizzie," said Mr. Collins, "Is this your mother?"

Lizzie groaned. Why? Why was everything going against her today? She was already more than half an hour late for work. And, now this creep wanted to meet her mother.

"Yes. Mom, this is William Collins. He's a lawyer the hospital hired. Mr. Collins, this is my mother."

"Pleasure is all mine Mrs. Bennet. You have raised the most wonderful, polite girls. I find them both very pleasing," he croaked while giving an approving nod towards Lizzie which made her shudder. Yes, she knew Collins found her pleasing. His starring couldn't possibly mean anything else.

"Really Mr. Collins, you are too kind." Mrs. Bennet looked so happy and together they began talking furiously. Lizzie was about to lose it. If she was one minute later, Darcy was going to kill her.

"Mom, I need to go. I'm already late."

"I don't need a babysitter Lizzie. But, here, having Collins walk with you," she said nodding encouragingly. Mr. Collins stepped forward…way too eagerly.

"Sorry, I have to go the opposite way," said Lizzie and she walked in the opposite direction. She didn't look back once.

Mr. Collins attempts to spend time with her did not cease. He kept showing up everywhere she went in the hospital. And when he couldn't find her, he asked her coworkers where she was currently. Nowhere was safe.

"He's everywhere. I keep hinting that I'm not interested but he ignores it. Plus, my mom keeps calling me about him." Lizzie was eating her lunch in the safety of the only place Collins couldn't go and where it was legal for her to have food in the hospital. The girl's bathroom.

"Maybe, you should give him a chance," said Charlotte softly.

"Ha-ha, very funny."

"It might be better than eating your lunch in the bathroom," said Charlotte.

"Trust me, it's not."

Mrs. Gardiner, the check nurse, poked her head in and whispered, "The coast is clear. Collins left for the day."

"Yes! Thank you," purred Lizzie, "Now, I can get on with my life."

"Does that life include Wickham?"

"Yes."

"So, what's the plan with him?"

"Well, he's been busy with work lately but I'm hoping to get another date with him soon."

"Cool. He sounds awesome."

"He is. Trust me."

That night, Jane was boiling noodles for soup when Lizzie came home.

"Hey, how was work?"

"Not bad. Just long."

"Great. So, does that mean my sister does not have plans for this weekend? Or do you have a date with Wickham?"

"Nope. No plans."

"Great!"

"Yes. It's great I have no social life," said Lizzie sarcastically.

"I mean you can come dress shopping with me," said Jane.

"Dress shopping? Did Bingley propose already? Because, honestly, I would be a little hurt if this is the way I find out?"

"No, I mean for the hospital gala, the fundraiser," said Jane laughing, "Besides, it's still a ways from that."

"Are you sure?" Lizzie watched Jane carefully. Jane, who was brutally honest, let out a small revealing smile but yet, there was something else. Fear?

"Jane, what's up?"

"It's nothing Lizzie."

"Nope. Not going work. Come on, what's up?"

Jane stirred the noodles and was silent for a moment before she turned and took a seat at the counter. Lizzie joined her.

"It's just…He's so open Lizzie. He's ready for anything. He has no past baggage from any relationship. He's perfect."

"You're perfect too, Jane."

"Lizzie," she said in a quiet but firm voice, "Let's not pretend the past away. I know you know, that I've been distant from men since Dale."

Lizzie nodded. Even though the sisters were open with one another. Dale was a subject that did not get talked about. Simply, because it was painful. And, the damage of that pain was still evident in Jane's life.

"This is the first time since Dale. The first time that I've felt this way. It feels wonderful but…yet I keep second guessing it."

"You shouldn't Jane," said Lizzie reassuringly rubbing her sister's back.

"He asked me about marriage today?"

"What? He proposed?"

"No. He simply asked if I had thought about it."

"What did you say?"

"I said. No." Shock filled Lizzie's thoughts. Why would she say that?

"Why?"

"I got nervous," said Jane, "I didn't want to admit to him that…that…every night I'm picturing our wedding. Our house. Our kids. If he knew that, he would run. If he knew how much I'm in love with him. He would run."

"No, he wouldn't," said Lizzie firmly, "He would not Jane. He loves you."

"How can you know that?"

"Because it's written on his face. Every time he looks at you. He's in love! Why would he ask you about marriage if he's not thinking about it?"

"It's only been a few months."

"So what?"

"Well…I don't know. It's just different. I fell in love with Dale over a course of a few years. Everything about that relationship was so different than this one."

"I think that's a good thing that it's different. I mean, come on, do you really want Charles to be like Dale?"

"No. But, it's scarier than Dale."

"Don't be scared. Charles loves you. Just give yourself some time. Once you're ready, tell him how you feel. He won't run."

"You think so?" There was a shiver of hope in her voice. She looked at Lizzie with tears in her eyes.

"I know so. He loves you."


	9. Chapter 9

Later that night, right before Lizzie was about to go to bed. She got a text.

 **George: Hey, I miss you. Everyone else is so dull.**

 **Lizzie: You're the one that has been busy. So, I have no sympathy.**

 **George: That's just cruel. How about we schedule something right now?**

 **Lizzie: Fine. I actually did have an idea for us. But, it would include seeing Darcy. Is that a problem?**

 **George: He avoids me. I have no problem seeing him.**

 **Lizzie: Good. I was hoping you would be my date to a fundraiser I got talked into going to…**

 **George: hmm. Sounds high class. Not sure if I will fit in.**

 **Lizzie: Please, you have more experience with that than I do.**

 **George: True. And I sucked at it.**

 **Lizzie: Doubt it. SO, do you want to go with me?**

 **George: How about this? Counter offer?**

 **Lizzie: Ok?**

 **George: Lizzie, will you go to this hospital fundraiser thing with me? It just might coincide with where you work, the people you work with, plus the man that I despise…**

 **Lizzie: lol Well, when you say it like that, how could I refuse?**

 **George: It's a date :)**

The next day, Lizzie worked with Charles, and she appreciated the change of pace from the normal sternness of Darcy. Charles was very animated as he talked about the fundraiser. His family was sponsoring it to support some experimental research, and Charles was very excited to bring Jane to the event. Lizzie, who smiled at his bright personality, did not say much. She, too, shared his excitement. Her excitement, however, was because of George Wickham.

George hadn't talked about Charles at all which could only mean that Charles was unaware of the whole ordeal. Good for Charles. Darcy probably didn't confide in him because he knew Charles would disapprove. Although, it did bother Lizzie that Charles was unable to see through his friend. She debated bringing up the subject with him, but decided against it. He'd surely say something to Darcy, and besides, she didn't want to say anything that could dampen his spirits.

Unfortunately, Charles was not the only one showing excitement for the fundraiser. Collins, who was still around, brought it up constantly during the day and asked Lizzie repeatedly if she would be in attendance.

"Um, yes, but I'm afraid I'll be very busy during it," said Lizzie quickly hoping to not have to talk about Wickham. She didn't want it spread around the hospital just in case it got back to Darcy.

"Well, I still hope we would be able to spend time together." He smiled at her, his greasy hair falling into his face. Lizzie, disgusted, ducked quickly out of sight without answering.

That night, enjoying their time in their apartment, Lizzie and Jane were snuggled on the couch, reading, when they heard knocking.

"You expecting anyone?"

"No", said Jane rising from the couch, "You?"

"Nope. Look through the peep hole Jane, it's late."

Just as Jane was about to look, a booming voice they knew only too well sounded.

"Lizzie, Jane, it's me. Open up!"

"Kitty?"

"Well, it's us," giggled a second voice that could only belong to Lydia.

Jane opened the door quickly only to have both girls crash into the apartment giggling and laughing as they swayed back and forth. Lizzie's nostrils were immediately were filled with the smell of alcohol and cheap perfume.

"Are you drunk?" Jane asked this while she attempted to hold both girls.

"Obviously Jane," snorted Lizzie, "The real question is where were you guys drinking? And how did you get here?"

"Just a party," mumbled Lydia as she slipped towards the couch. Lizzie stepped in front of her, blocking her route to the couch. "No way."

"Come on Lizzie, just let me lay down, I don't feel good," whined Lydia, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah, alcohol will do that to you. I'm not letting you on my couch smelling like that," said Lizzie firmly as she gestured to Lydia's clothes that bore the brunt of the smell.

"Fine, where's your shower?"

"Before you can use ANYTHING, you're both going to answer some questions."

"You're such a party spoiler Lizzie," said a giggling Kitty, who was now being supported by Jane.

"Where was the party, Lydia? You're obviously more sober than that one," said Lizzie nodding towards Kitty, who was incapable of standing on her own.

"A friend of a friend's. He's in college."

"You went to a college party Lydia? YOU ARE FIFTEEN!"

"Can you not shout at me," said Lydia, squinting and rubbing her temple, "It hurts my head."

Lizzie groaned and looked at Jane who gave her sad shrug. Lizzie turned back to Lydia who was now hiccupping.

"How much did you drink? And did you do drugs?"

"I don't know and no. I didn't do any drugs. I'm not stupid," said Lydia, her voice raising.

"I disagree. Going to a college party of a guy you don't really know and drinking like an animal sounds very wise. Plus, you two traveled alone late at night in Chicago. Stupid is an understatement, Lydia," said Lizzie not bothering to hide the anger in her voice.

"Yeah, yeah, skip the lecture, can I use your bathroom or do you want me to throw up on your floor?"

Lizzie, muttering under her breath, took her youngest sisters arm and pulled her towards the bathroom. Jane followed with Kitty.

It took a long time to get both of them showered and in bed. Jane and Lizzie decided to not try to get them home that night. Lizzie called her parents and said the girls were spending the night. She didn't mention all of the details only because Jane asked her not too. Jane insisted that it would be better to wait 'til the morning. Lizzie agreed grimly. She certainly didn't want her mother showing up at the apartment at this hour.

Because the two girls were in Jane's room, Jane joined Lizzie in her bedroom.

"I can't believe them," said Lizzie, "How stupid to go to a college party. I'm not convinced Lydia was honest about not doing drugs."

"Lizzie, you need to calm down. Yes, it's frustrating, but it does no good for you to get fired up like this. Let's at least be thankful that they made it to our apartment instead of going home with some random guy."

Lizzie considered this. True, she was thankful for that. To be honest, she was kind of surprised that it hadn't happenedd that way. Knowing her sisters, especially Lydia, it was exactly the kind of thing they would do.

"Let's just get some sleep and we'll deal with it in the morning," said Jane.

"Alright." And with that Jane turned the light off.

Lizzie was busy the next morning making pancakes and bacon in the kitchen when Mrs. Bennet knocked. Letting her in, Lizzie gave her a hug.

"Hi mom," she said.

"Good morning my Lizzie," she said brightly and happily, "Ah, there's my Jane."

Jane, had appeared in the room with her hair damp from the shower. She crossed the room to give Mrs. Bennet a hug.

"Mom," she said through her mom's tight squeeze, "There's something we need to talk about."

Lizzie, knowing that Jane would be better to handle this went back to the kitchen to continue with breakfast.

"What is it? Oh no! You didn't break up with Charles did you? Or did he break up with you? That scoundrel," panicked Mrs. Bennet as fast as chattering squirrel.

"No, mother. Charles and I are fine. It's about the girls," said Jane, calmly leading their mother to take a seat at the kitchen counter.

"Oh. What about them?"

Just as Jane opened her mouth to explain, Lydia appeared in the doorway. She looked better than the night before which wasn't saying much. Still, she carried the look of tired sloth with raccoon eyes that was attempting to walk on a straight line.

"Lydia, my darling! I have missed you! Did you have fun at the party?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes in disbelief as Mrs. Bennet embraced her youngest daughter with joy and pride. So Mrs. Bennet did know they had been at a party. Made it worse and better all at the same time.

"Yes, it was fun," mumbled Lydia taking in her mother's hug.

"Lydia, you need to tell mom about last night," said Jane from the counter.

Lydia gave Jane a piercing look through their mother's arms. It was as clear as day that Lydia had no intention of telling Mrs. Bennet about her and her sister's escapades the night before. Jane, however, showed some strength and gave Lydia a look right back.

Lydia, ignoring the look, squeezed her mother even tighter. "I love you mom. You're the best," she said smiling sweetly. Mrs. Bennet gushed and hugged her youngest even tighter.

Jane sighed and sat down. Lizzie lost her patience. "Alright, that's enough of that," she said, dropping her spatula. "Mom, last night, your youngest daughters went to a college party and drank alcohol. They showed up here late last night as drunk as sailors."

Mrs. Bennet's expression at first was as blank as white sheet. Lydia, threw her head back in frustration, and like the toddler she was, threw herself on the couch. Kitty chose that moment to make her first appearance of the morning. As soon as she sensed the atmosphere, however, she tried to sneak back to the safety of Jane's bedroom.

"Not so fast Kitty, get in here," said Lizzie pointing at the couch. Kitty, same as Lydia, sulked all the way and slid next to Lydia.

Mrs. Bennet still had said nothing but slowly, her face gained color back.

"Well, are you both alright?" she asked in a strange voice turning to the two on the couch.

"Yes," they mumbled in unison.

"Did you do any drugs?"

"No," they mumbled again.

"Well, I guess there's no harm done," said Mrs. Bennet after a moment and she gave everyone a nervous smile.

"What?" Lizzie's voice was wrinkled with disgust and did not go without notice from Mrs. Bennet.

"Elizabeth Bennet. Do not talk to me with that attitude."

"Mom, they went to a college party and drank alcohol! Lydia is fifteen and Kitty is seventeen. Both are under twenty-one which means it's ILLEGAL for them to be drinking."

"Oh Lizzie, everyone drinks before they're twenty-one," said Mrs. Bennet waving her arms.

"No, not everyone does. I didn't."

"Well, it's no secret as to why you didn't, Lizzie, you were never invited to any parties," said Mrs. Bennet, laughing while Kitty and Lydia joined in.

"Yeah, I suppose being in varsity sports and on the honor roll attempting to get a scholarship for college kept me from focusing on what's really important," said Lizzie sarcastically, and she felt a hand on her shoulder that she knew belonged to Jane.

"Mom," said Jane softly, "I think Lizzie's trying to say that this behavior from Kitty and Lydia shouldn't be encouraged. You certainly don't want them doing this all the time."

"They shouldn't be doing it any of the time," whispered Lizzie angrily over her shoulder to Jane. Jane nodded but looked at her mother. Lizzie knew Jane was just trying to keep the peace.

Mrs. Bennet considered what Jane had said. "I suppose I don't want them doing it all the time. Good point, Jane. Girls, don't do this on school nights and always ask for permission first." The girls mumbled an okay. Mrs. Bennet apparently considered the matter closed and started talking to Jane about Charles.

Lizzie, annoyed with her mother, looked past her to the couch where both Kitty and Lydia sat. They, pleased with their escape of punishment, giggled and laughed. Lydia, catching Lizzie's glance, threw her a triumphant smile.

Being done with the whole thing, Lizzie went back into the kitchen and finished making breakfast. She didn't say anything else the rest of the morning. How could her mother be so blind?

Lizzie tried to not let her family drama affect her as she rode the subway that morning but it was easier said than done. She really shouldn't have been surprised. Her mother had pulled stunts like this before with the two youngest.

Lizzie and Jane had always felt the parenting was completely different for the younger Bennet daughters. But if they were honest with themselves, the truth of the matter was Jane and Lizzie had often played the role of the parent when it came to their sisters.

To their credit, both Mr. and Mrs. Bennet had been involved, but they often focused on the wrong things. Mrs. Bennet did not lack enthusiasm when it came to her daughter's lives. She had always been their biggest cheerleaders in whatever they did. At sports games, dance recitals, and even speeches, she was the loud obnoxious parent that everybody knew.

Mr. Bennet was a quiet man by nature but he did encourage his daughters when it came to their minds. The reader and instructor in him encouraged them to read and increase their knowledge, but he was also a sarcastic man. Lizzie loved his humor, as her own personal wit was her father's, but his care free attitude tended to show up when a sterner tone was needed. In blunt honestly, neither parent was much of a disciplinarian.

They hadn't needed to with Jane, who had been about as close as possible to a perfect child. Lizzie, while much more strong-willed, had been quietly influenced by her sister which kept her out of trouble. In addition, she had a special relationship with her father, which helped her to see past the now and focus on the future.

Mary. Mary. Mary. Mary had always been a special case. She was always in her own world and that world did not include getting in trouble. So once again, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were spared any real parenting.

SO, when the blessedness that was Kitty and Lydia came to the Bennets, they were unprepared and unaware on how to set true boundaries for their children.

In her heart, Lizzie knew that her father was largely at fault. He led his home with an air of indifference for most occurrences and laughed to himself when Mrs. Bennet got into trouble. True, he loved all of them but it was his lazy spirit that was the root of many problems.

Lizzie shook her head and laid her back against the window of the subway. She was going to have to talk to him at some point and she dreaded that conversation. She loved her father dearly but she hated having to take the role of parent.

Her distraction continued into her shift. Neither Charlotte nor Jane was working which made things lonely and unappealing. She didn't even notice at first when someone began talking to her as she worked.

"Lizzie."

Lizzie snapped out of her daze to find Darcy looking at her with concern.

"What? I'm fine. Wait-did you call me Lizzie?"

"I did," he admitted still not looking away, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes. Of course. Why?"

"Because I said your name three times and you didn't respond."

"Well," said Lizzie turning away, "I'm just deep in thought." She started going through the paperwork she was holding, which she didn't remember grabbing.

"You sure?"

His voice was softer and warmer than she had ever heard from him. His own voice was usually annoyingly poised and perfected. He rarely changed pitch or deviated from the same pitch. This new voice that oozed with concern intrigued her.

"I'm a pretty good listener," he continued, "I don't even have to respond if you want. I can just listen as you talk if it would help."

"It's just…family stuff," Lizzie admitted, not even sure why she was talking, "It's complicated."

"Family is always complicated."

This simple statement was so heavy with meaning that Lizzie suspected that he too had family drama. Then again, who didn't sometimes have family drama.

"Do you ever feel like you have to be the parent for your parents?"

The question came out of Lizzie's mouth before she could stop it. Darcy considered for a moment before replying.

"No…but my own parents died when I was younger."

She had forgotten. Wickham had mentioned that.

"That's right. I'm sorry, I forgot. Your father died when you were in college, wasn't it?" asked Lizzie, but just as she finished, Darcy turned to her quickly.

"How did you know that?"

"Um," debated Lizzie. She didn't really want to tell him that her source was Wickham. "Charles must have mentioned it." Yes, that seemed very reasonable. Darcy nodded and Lizzie let out a silent breath of relief. She wasn't sure why but she had been careful to avoid bringing up Wickham. True, she was bringing Wickham to the party but it was probably smart to avoid letting the cat out of the bag early.

A nurse came up and their attention was diverted back to their job. Lizzie was amazed by how much Darcy changed as soon as the nurse started talking to him. His warmness was gone and the arrogant surgeon was back. How could he switch so quickly? Or maybe that was all there was, just an arrogant man with hints of humanity.

Once her shift finished, she boarded her subway and pulled out her Sudoku. She was concentrating heavily on Sudoku and her music which meant she didn't look up when someone sat next to her.

It wasn't until she had finished her current puzzle that she looked up, only to jump. It was Darcy. He hadn't even looked up from his book when she had jumped.

"What are you doing," she said yanking out her headphones.

"Riding home," he said not tearing his eyes away from his book.

"I've never seen you take the subway and I ride on this thing every day," said Lizzie.

"I know, and frankly I don't know why you ride this thing when you have a car," he said in a bored voice.

"It's my alone time," said Lizzie, strongly hinting, "I like having fifteen minutes to myself to and from work."

"You're not alone," he said, "In fact, there are more people here than you would have riding in your car."

"Traffic in Chicago is not relaxing! Plus, usually, Jane and Charlotte ride in the car with me which makes it not alone time."

"Surely being with your two best friends should be relaxing," he said a hint of smile on his face.

"It is," said Lizzie a little frustrated, "I just prefer to get some time completely on my own every day and this is it. Yes, I realize I'm not alone but on here I don't have to talk to anyone because I don't know anyone. Get my point?"

"Strongly," he said, "So go back to your puzzle and music. Don't let me disturb you." And with that, he returned to his book.

Lizzie starred at him in disbelief. How could he not realize that his very presence made the subway the most unrelaxing place?

Darcy's strange behavior continued the next morning. There he was. On her subway. Well, not her subway. But it was her subway. Her escape and yet, there he was. Subway ruined.

"I can't believe it. My boss rides the subway at the same time as I do. Work practically begins then," said Lizzie to Charlotte and Jane, as they all got ready in the locker room.

"You should just start driving with Charlotte and I," said Jane, "I promise that neither of us will talk to you so you can get your music time."

"Yeah, I wouldn't dare disturb you," said Charlotte, "Your music time in the morning is like people's morning coffee."

"SO true," agreed Lizzie.

Charlotte and Lizzie started to walk out when Jane snaked Lizzie's arm.

"Can we talk for a minute?"

Charlotte waved and left leaving Lizzie and Jane alone.

"What's up?"

"Don't get upset. I just wanted to let you know that mom and dad are coming to the fundraiser…and so are our sisters," said Jane calmly.

"No," groaned Lizzie, "Why?"

"Mom heard about it and now she can't be denied."

"Of course she can't," said Lizzie, taking a seat, "This sucks. Now, I'm going to have to introduce Wickham to them, which I was hoping to do never!"

"It's not that bad," comforted Jane, "Mom meeting Charles wasn't as bad as I worried it would be."

"That's true," said Lizzie, "And George is so great! I'm sure mom would love him."

"Yes. Plus, I'm looking forward to getting to know him myself," admitted Jane. "You talk about him a lot and I've never spent quality time with him."

"We'll change that," said Lizzie, assuring her sister as she stood. "Well, I guess we'll get through that night together."

Jane smiled and walked out with Lizzie right behind her.


	10. Chapter 10

Later, right as Lizzie was about to take her lunch break, she got a surprising text.

 **George Wickham:** Hey! Think you can spare a minute and come meet me at the coffee shop across from the hospital?

 **Lizzie:** You're in luck- it's my lunch break.

 **George Wickham:** In that case, let's go someplace fancy!

 **Lizzie:** I don't have long, let's just do the coffee shop.

 **George Wickham:** Sounds good, I'll meet you there. You'll probably beat me though.

Charlotte walked up and waved her lunch. "You ready?"

"Oh, um," said Lizzie, "I actually was just going to go get coffee."

"But I thought we were going to eat together today," Charlotte said looking confused and a little annoyed, "We've hardly had time to talk lately."

"I know, I'm sorry. I promise we can have dinner together tonight," Lizzie called over her shoulder. She wasn't watching where she was going as she hurried away, which caused her to collide straight into someone.

"Oops, I'm sorry." Lizzie looked up see her victim. Of course. Who else but Darcy.

"It's alright. Where are you going? You don't have much time before you're needed again," he said looking at his watch.

"I'm just going to the coffee shop across from here," said Lizzie side stepping him, "I won't be long."

She hurried off before either of them could stop her but escaping would have to wait because just as she reached the locker room, an annoying voice she knew only too well called out to her.

"Lizzie," said Mr. Collins, "I was hoping you would be around. I need your help with a few things."

"Sorry Mr. Collins," said Lizzie, "I'm officially off the clock."

"Oh, well, how about when you get back?"

"I don't know, depends on my schedule," said Lizzie walking so fast it could be considered a jog.

"Alright, we'll catch up later," he called after her.

Lizzie walked quickly to the coffee shop where she ordered a small coffee and a muffin. True, she had brought her lunch but she felt bad eating her lunch there without buying food from them.

No sign of Wickham, she took a seat near the window. Not wanting to waste time, she started eating her lunch. She watched out the window and the front door like a hawk though waiting for Wickham to appear. She didn't spot him but she did spot someone she knew. Jane, Charles, and Darcy all walking towards the shop laughing and having a good time.

"Crap," whispered Lizzie. She really didn't want them to be around when Wickham came. She lunged for her phone in her purse, but in her haste she missed, knocking her purse to the floor where it promptly opened, scattering the contents across the floor. She made a ridiculous sight sprawled on the floor trying to collect everything. Too soon, Jane, Charles, and Darcy entered the coffee shop.

"Hi Lizzie," said Jane brightly, "Oh no! What happened?"

"I just dropped my purse," said Lizzie faking a small laugh as she gathered the last of her belongings, "What are you guys doing here? I didn't know you would be here."

"We didn't either," said Charles happily, "Darcy suggested it and we thought it sounded good."

"Of course he did," said Lizzie under her breath. It only made sense that it would be Darcy who would ruin her lunch. She attempted to scowl at him but he didn't meet her eye. Instead, he went to the front to order with Charles.

"Come sit with us," said Jane, completely oblivious to Lizzie's annoyance, "I'm so glad you were here. I thought about inviting you but I remembered your lunch date with Charlotte."

"Yeah, we're doing dinner instead," said Lizzie taking a seat next to Jane. She quickly pulled out her phone and texted Wickham.

 **Lizzie:** Hey, something came up. Can we do another time?

 **George:** Actually sounds good. I was having trouble getting there anyways.

 **Lizzie:** Okay, miss you!

Lizzie, put her phone down just as Charles showed up with Jane's drink. Darcy joined them but he pulled out his phone without looking up.

"So, Lizzie," said Charles taking a sip, "Are you bringing someone to the fundraiser?"

"Oh," said Lizzie feeling awkward, "Yes, I am."

Jane sensing that Lizzie didn't want to say who, changed the topic quickly to surgeries which Darcy and Charlie were only too happy to talk about. Trust a surgeon to enjoy bragging about their job. Jane winked reassuringly at Lizzie, who gave her leg an appreciate squeeze.

That conversation carried for a while but Charles started asking questions about their childhood. He seemed particularly interested in Jane's first crushes.

"I was five," said Jane, "I can't be blamed for wearing the same dress for a month."

"She wanted to be Cinderella," explained Lizzie to Charles.

"Ah, you were a Prince Charming girl," he teased.

"Yes," said Jane, her cheeks getting red.

"What girl wasn't," said Darcy bluntly, "Or truthfully, what girl isn't?"

"Well, some girls weren't into princes, like me for example," said Lizzie, "I was all about Robin Hood."

"True," said Jane, "She even asked for bow and arrow for her birthday."

"I stunk," admitted Lizzie.

"You liked him because he was more than just eye candy," said Darcy.

"Yes," admitted Lizzie in spite of herself, "But to be fair to Prince Charming, he wasn't just eye candy. He sent a decree out looking for her."

"Yeah, and sent someone else to go find her," said Darcy, which made them all laugh. Lizzie was surprised to find herself laughing. Darcy turned to look at her and their eyes caught which caused Lizzie to quickly turn away but she felt his gaze remain for a moment longer.

"I'm afraid I wasn't as into the Disney princess movies," said Charles, "It was probably because my sisters watched them over and over again so I grew tired of them."

"They were a staple at our house," said Lizzie.

"Five girls," agreed Jane.

They continued talking for a few more minutes before Charles declared he had to get back. He stood quickly, his knees bumping the table. By default, Jane's drink spilled right at Lizzie's purse. Everyone at the table began frantically grabbing items to avoid the spill.

"I'm so sorry," said Charles as he ran to grab napkins.

"No harm done," said Lizzie laughing, "I'm always appreciative when it's someone else being the klutz and not me."

Charles laughed joyfully, and Jane and he took the now coffee stained napkins to the trash. Lizzie, looking through her purse to make sure it was coffee-free, realized her phone had been on the table. She looked for it only to turn and find Darcy.

He, however, was looking down at her phone with a strange expression. Lizzie reached out to grab it only to have him move it out of her reach.

"Hey," she said holding out her hand, "Do you mind?"

His expression changed and Lizzie knew what he was going to say before he said it.

"George Wickham?"

That was all he said but he showed her the phone where George's most recent text showed bright and clear.

 **George Wickham:** Miss you too! Can't wait for our date!

Lizzie fidgeted. She wasn't sure why but she felt a little guilty. But why should she? So, shaking it off, she countered back. "Yeah, so what?"

He didn't say anything. He stared at her for a moment before he handed the phone back to her and he turned and walked out without saying anything.

Lizzie did not see Darcy the rest of the day and she quickly forgot about it, especially when Jane revealed the plans for shopping that weekend. Charlotte and she had already decided where they wanted to shop for their dresses. Lizzie, who was not usually a shopping person, now animatedly joined in. After all, she had a man to impress.

Saturday morning came, and right on cue, all three girls walked into a department store. Laser focused, they sped towards their target-dresses.

"All I'm saying Jane," said Charlotte as she looked in the mirror, "Is you are so lucky you look good in everything."

"Not true," argued Jane, "I cannot pull off yellow."

"Debatable," chimed Lizzie laughing.

"I need help," moaned Charlotte from her dressing room, "I'm completely hopeless. I don't even know what look I'm going for exactly."

"I'll help you," said Lizzie exiting her dressing room, "These dresses did not look good on me. Let's look together."

"Perfect."

They left Jane in the dressing room, who of course looked amazing in everything she had picked, as she debated between her favorites.

"So, how long till he pops the question?"

"I don't know," admitted Lizzie as they searched the racks, "But I honestly believe it's going to be any day now."

"I'm happy for her," said Charlotte, "She deserves it."

"Yes, she does."

"I guess this means our little gang is breaking up," said Charlotte sadly, "I always figured it would be one of you to break it up."

"What do you mean?" Lizzie crossed over to Charlotte and gave her a hug as she said this.

"Come on Lizzie," said Charlotte once they finished hugging, "I shouldn't be surprised by it. It just means some things are beginning to change…I just wasn't quite ready for it."

"What do you mean you shouldn't be surprised by it?"

"You both are incredibly beautiful successful women. Did you really think that it would be long before you both were snagged?"

"You are also beautiful and successful. You are going to be snagged too. Besides, I haven't been snagged," said Lizzie returning to the racks.

"Maybe not officially, but I've never seen you search the racks so fervently before which leads me to believe this guy has a deeper hold on you than you want to admit," said Charlotte crossing her arms and grinning.

Lizzie, not looking, knew she betrayed her feelings by the sensation she felt on her cheeks. Charlotte quickly laughed.

"Yup. Proof! Lizzie Bennet is blushing."

"Shut up," said Lizzie, "If you tell anyone, I'll tell embarrassing stores about you."

"Who would I tell? You're my closest friend."

Lizzie, turned to Charlotte who gave her a happy smile. Besides Jane, Charlotte was her closest friend.

"I guess I didn't realize…things were changing," admitted Lizzie, "But, I see why you're thinking that way."

Lizzie knew there was no reason to sugar coat things. Charlotte was right about one thing. The gang was breaking up. Jane would be getting married but it didn't mean that they would never see each other.

"Hey, listen," she said tapping Charlotte on the shoulder and Charlotte turned to her.

"I know things are changing. Goodness, it's crossed my mind that Jane and I won't be sharing an apartment any more. It makes me sad. But, just because one aspect is changing doesn't mean all aspects have to change. You and I will always be friends!"

"Really?"

"Yes," said Lizzie firmly, "And since Jane will move out, you and I should move in together. You're basically in our apartment all the time anyway. Why not make it official?"

Charlotte smiled and hugged Lizzie. "Can't wait roomie."

Lizzie laughed and they both turned back to the racks. After searching for a few more minutes, Lizzie found it. Laughing excitedly, she held it up to Charlotte.

"What do you think?"

"Oh my goodness," said Charlotte clapping, "Yes, George will be blown away when he sees you in that."

"Good. I was going for the bombshell look," said Lizzie dancing towards the dressing rooms.

Jane, who had made up her mind, loved the dress Lizzie had picked. It was the perfect dress for Lizzie. It fit her body type without being too revealing. Plus, it was comfortable which was an important aspect was for Lizzie. Even if she was going on a date, she needed to be comfy. Her usual attire, scrubs, were deceptively comfortable which didn't help her impulsive need for comfort.

The day of the fundraiser came and Lizzie's anticipation rivaled children waiting to open their presents on Christmas morning. True, she wasn't typically a party girl but this party was going to be special. It was her big date with Wickham, which she didn't need to tell anyone about because her smile was so evident.

As she was daydreaming about her evening, Jane came and hugged her from behind.

"Hi beautiful," said Lizzie, "How's your day?"

"Pretty good. I have some news for you though. Can we go talk in private?"

"Sure thing," said Lizzie, "Let's go for a walk."

The two sisters marched off arm in arm to another wing and out of earshot of anyone. Jane, however, still wanted more privacy. So, they disappeared into a hospital room where no patients were currently. Jane, looked around the corner still to make sure they were alone.

"What's up?"

"Well," said Jane dancing with excitement, "Charles is considering taking a grant and doing some experimental research."

"Right now?"

"Well," explained Jane, "He came to me saying there was something serious he needed to talk to me about. First, he told me about this amazing research grant he's considering taking but the only problem is it would take him to New York. He asked how I felt about doing a long distance relationship for a while."

"A while? What does that mean?"

"He said a few months."

"Okay," said Lizzie, "What did you say?"

"I said it would be hard but if that's what he needed to do then we could make it work."

"Okay."

"Then he brought up something else…"

"What?"

"He pulled out a ring," said Jane.

Lizzie started squealing but Jane quickly stopped her.

"What? Did you say no?"

"I didn't say no but I didn't say yes," said Jane quickly but Lizzie jabbed in quickly.

"Jane, why didn't you say yes?!" Lizzie was in shock. This man was the love of her life. Why in the world would she say no?

"Please listen to me before you respond. I have a very good reason. Let me explain what I told him."

"Okay. I'm sorry. Please go on."

Jane sighed deeply. "Do you remember what happened with Dale?"

"Yes…but I'm not sure why he is on your mind right now?"

"He's not…trust me. But what happened with him is," said Jane turning towards the window. "He asked me to marry him right after my junior year of college. It was perfect. I had one more year of school and he would go start his career. That year…planning the wedding…being across the country from one another. True, I had no idea he was cheating on me but I can't do that again. I can't be engaged to someone who across the country from me. I can't be separated from him and risk losing him."

It all made sense now and Lizzie felt like an idiot. Besides a few details, it was almost the exact position that Jane had been in before. They get engaged and then the guy takes off. Of course Jane didn't want to do that. Lizzie only hoped that Charles had understood.

"What did he say?"

"Well. I told him that I didn't want to spend our first few months engaged apart from each other."

"And?"

"He said he understood completely. He said he would just keep asking until I said yes," said Jane wiping a tear away that had escaped onto her face.

Relief went through Lizzie's body. Many people would have misunderstood but Charles was not that guy.

"You didn't tell him more? Like specifically Dale?"

"No. I mean he knows about Dale, of course, but I didn't want him to feel like I was comparing the two of them," said Jane.

"Good thinking," Said Lizzie, "That could be awkward."

They waited in silence for a while, each taking in the situation. Lizzie broke the silence.

"So…does this mean you are kind of engaged?"

"I don't know," laughed Jane, "I feel like we are but yet we aren't."

"Well, I wouldn't tell anyone else about that conversation. If mom hears Charles has a ring, she'll start ordering the wedding invitations."

"True," said Jane, "Let's keep this to ourselves."

"Sounds good."

Later that day, all three girls (Jane, Lizzie, and Charlotte) were crowded in the bathroom of Jane and Lizzie's apartment.

"If we were smart, we wouldn't have let you come Charlotte," Lizzie said nodding at Charlotte, "You have your own bathroom and three in here is very crowded."

"But it's so much more fun with all of us here," said Jane.

"I agree…plus I need you guys to do my makeup," said Charlotte.

"Jane will do your makeup" said Lizzie firmly, "I have enough trouble with me."

Jane did do Charlotte's makeup. In fact, she did everybody's makeup. Lizzie's nerves gave in and she kept messing up her eye liner.

"Why are you nervous?" Jane asked Lizzie as she carefully applied eye liner to Lizzie's eyes making it very difficult to answer.

"I just want this date to go well."

"I hear that," said Charlotte, "I want this relationship to be official probably just as much as you do. No more having to watch you looking at your phone just hoping he texted."

"Shut up!"

Although Jane and Charlotte kept teasing her, Lizzie really didn't mind. She loved having a guy in her life that her friends could tease her about.

The plan was to drive over to the fundraiser with Jane and Charlotte. She would simply meet up with Wickham there and Lizzie was beyond excited. When she stepped out of the car, she felt like a million bucks. She had taken special care of her appearance tonight, something she only bothered with for special occasions.

Walking into the fundraiser, which was being held at a fancy hotel, Lizzie lost all her confidence. The room was decorated in regal and elegant colors of cream and gold. The whole room had a strong scent of fancy living which was odd to Lizzie's sense of smell. Even the people in attendance looked different than your average person on the street.

The tables were so elegantly decorated that Lizzie had to look twice to make sure they weren't fake. Even the floors somehow shined brighter than any floor that Lizzie had ever seen. It's rich color made Lizzie feel like a princess as she gazed around the room.

Lizzie turned to her two companions. Jane, who looked stunning, had a smile on her face. True, it was because Charles was already walking over to her with a big smile of his own. Charlotte looked excited as well, and with that, Lizzie decided she might as well enjoy this night. Even if she was out of her element, that was all the more reason for her to enjoy it.

"Hi sweetie," said Charles taking Jane's hand," Hello Charlotte and Lizzie."

"Hello Charles. Wow. You must be proud. I heard your parents are sponsoring this event. It looks amazing," said Lizzie.

"Thank you. My mom loves planning these things and she has quite the eye," he said good naturedly.

"Just. Wow," said Charlotte, "Where do we put our coats?"

"Oh, if you keep walking, these gentlemen will take them for you," said Charles and he motioned the men forward. Even though it was weird to have some stranger taking off her coat, Lizzie admitted to herself she was enjoying being pampered a little.

As they walked in, Charlotte spotted some friends and Jane and Charles split off so Lizzie opened her clutch to check her phone. She had already turned it off because she had already had dreadful nightmares about forgetting to turn it off and then having it ring at only the most embarrassing time.

She was going to send Wickham a text asking him to text her to let her know he got there but she was surprised to find a text from him.

 **George:** Hey, so I have to do something that I know you're going to hate. I'm going to have to cancel on you. I'm sorry but something came up. I promise I'll make it up to you. I'm sorry I couldn't see you in that amazing dress I'm sure you're in.

The text was shown to have been sent 15 minutes earlier. Honestly, Lizzie was a little upset and hurt. It was incredible last minute of him to cancel. Fuming slightly, Lizzie put her phone back into her clutch without bothering to text him back. She would keep him on edge slightly as revenge.

Looking up, she realized she was standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Quickly, she went to a corner which was her preferred way of life. A waiter passed her and Lizzie grabbed a drink and took a sip. It was interesting and Lizzie had to mentally tell herself not to cringe. She looked down at the drink. Lizzie was positive that it was high end champagne which was probably why she didn't have much of a taste for it. Her stuff was always cheap.

Ignoring her drink, she looked around the room and felt very alone. This night had supposed to be incredible with Wickham at her side. Now it felt oppressively long and dull.

As she wallowed, she caught a tall shape out of the corner of her eye. Darcy. He was across the room decked out in a tux, and Lizzie was surprised when he turned to look at her. She quickly looked away. She was in NO mood to talk to him tonight. Part of her had even been looking forward to throwing Wickham in a face. Just a little.

Lizzie heard loud laughter coming from the entrance and she looked up to see her family. Of course, the loudness would be from the Bennets. Lizzie quickly crossed the room to them.

"There's my Lizzie," said Mrs. Bennet, "My, you look wonderful. Not as pretty as Jane but I will say that you look wonderful."

"Thanks mom." It was honestly as good as she was going to get from Mrs. Bennet. Mr. Bennet affectionately kissed her cheek and whispered to her. "You look beautiful darling. Anyone I should know about?"

Lizzie sighed and whispered back, "Well. There was supposed someone but he didn't end up coming."

Mr. Bennet nodded sadly and pulled her into a side hug which Lizzie readily accepted. As she leaned in for the hug, she once again caught eyes with Darcy who was watching from across the way. Ignoring him, she turned to greet her sisters.

When Charles and Jane appeared, the attention of most of the room was drawn to Mrs. Bennet who could be heard complimenting Charles over and over again. It took some doing to calm her down, and Lizzie took on that job so Jane could stay with Charles.

After she left her mother, Lizzie quickly sped to Charlotte's side.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Wickham bailed."

"Really?"

"Yeah," said Lizzie shaking her head, "I'm disappointed but whatever. We can reschedule."

Within a few minutes, a live orchestra started playing and people began to dance. Lizzie soon was disappointed. How fun it would have been for her to dance with Wickham.

Another waiter came by with appetizers, and Lizzie and Charlotte quickly took some. As she Lizzie put the food in her mouth, she once again noticed Darcy staring at her from across the room.

Lizzie muttered under her breath, which drew Charlotte's attention to where Lizzie had been looking. She gave Lizzie a funny look.

Turning so Darcy couldn't see her face, Lizzie said, "He keeps staring. It's driving me nuts."

Charlotte looked to be fighting a laugh, "How do you know if he's staring if you're not staring back?"

The look Lizzie gave Charlotte did its purpose of making Charlotte drop her smile but Charlotte wasn't going to be intimidated that quickly.

"Seriously, what's your problem with him?"

"My problem…well, it's a long story," said Lizzie.

"Do we have anything better to do?"

A few minutes later, with hushed voices, Lizzie had relayed Wickham's history to Charlotte who listened with saying much. At the end, Lizzie was surprised when she took the same approach as Jane.

"Are you sure it's true?"

"Charlotte! How could it not be true?"

"Miss Bennet! Miss Bennet!"

Lizzie's insides turned to ice as she heard the voice of William Collins coming from behind her. He walked up to her and Charlotte and stood way too close, invading Lizzie's personal space, and she stepped back as subtly as she could.

"Would you like to dance?"

Lizzie squirmed while trying to think of a way to say no but Charlotte's disapproving look made Lizzie give up.

"Yes. Thank you, Mr. Collins," she said in a sweet voice that was not genuine. Charlotte smiled at her, approving of her behavior and kindness.

Collins led her onto the dance floor with sweaty hands that made Lizzie want to grimace, but she controlled herself. Mind over matter. Lizzie determined that she shouldn't assume Collins would be a bad dancer. Always try to think the best of people.

She was wrong! Always think badly of people. Collins was a horrific dancer. Just awful. He had no rhythm and repeatedly stepped on her toes for which he apologized abundantly. It wasn't just that he was an awful dancer, he also couldn't talk about anything else except himself or his favorite person in the world, Katherine De Bourg.

But Lizzie remained pleasant all while trying to avoid the looks of joy that she knew her mother had. Lizzie somehow could her mother's thoughts.

 _Lizzie is going to marry a lawyer! Lizzie is going to marry a lawyer!_

The song ended and Lizzie politely declined another claiming to be tired. He understood and responded by going to ask Charlotte for a dance. Lizzie was throwing her a karma smile but Charlotte did not appear to be saddened by him asking at all. She and Jane were both too kind for Lizzie.

Lizzie went to sit down with her sister Mary who was watching the dancing with a disapproving glare.

"What's wrong Mary?"

"Mom made me come. I would have preferred to just stay home."

"So far, me too, Mary."

"Who was the guy?"

"Oh, him. Just mom's ideal mate for me."

Mary nodded with an understanding more than a laugh. Mom's determination to pair them off were known to all the girls.

As soon as Charlotte was finished, Lizzie grabbed her arm and led her back to their corner.

"So, back to what we were saying earlier?"

Charlotte had just opened her mouth to respond when she suddenly closed it very quickly and greeted someone behind Lizzie.

Lizzie turned quickly only to find the last person she wanted to see, but yet somehow, she had known it was going to be him.

"If you're not busy, I was hoping you would dance with me, Lizzie," he said holding out his hand. Lizzie stared at his hand for a second shocked but not being able to think of an excuse, she simply nodded. She took his hand which was warm and secure unlike the sweaty palms she had experienced with Collins.

As he turned away, Lizzie threw a look of disbelief and panic to Charlotte who merely shrugged.

Darcy led her onto the dance floor and Lizzie felt like there were a million eyes staring at them. She knew Caroline's and Mrs. Bennet's were definitely on them, although both of those were probably upset reactions. Caroline because she hated Lizzie, and Mrs. Bennet because she hated Darcy.

Lizzie, who was actively looking everywhere except at Darcy, noticed Jane and Charles dancing as well, although their vibe was completely different than Darcy's and Lizzie's.

Unable to take the awkwardness, Lizzie started a conversation. "So, lots of people here tonight."

"Yes, the Bingleys know a lot of people which makes them ideal to sponsor this type of event."

Silence again. Awkward. Awkward.

"We have to have some kind of conversation, Darcy," said Lizzie.

"Why? Is that a habit for you?"

"Usually, yes. My last partner actually did most the talking."

"I'm guessing he did ALL the talking considering how many times you held your tongue when he stepped on your toes."

Lizzie chuckled slightly but that comment drew her attention to something else; Darcy's dancing. He was surprisingly very smooth and controlled. Lizzie guessed though that he had been to many of these events, considering his upbringing, which would have given him lots of chances to practice.

She allowed herself to look at him more closely but she was careful to do it when he was looking away. Man. She hated to admit it but he did look incredibly fine in his tux. True to many of her coworkers' words, he was a very attractive man.

She didn't know how long she had been staring but when he met her eyes, she felt a slight turning in her stomach that she did not like. She quickly changed the topic and looked away.

"So, you must have grown up attending things like this?"

He nodded, "All too much. I'd rather not go to events like this, but if it's for a good cause then I think it's important."

"Can't argue with that."

It felt like the song was going much longer than the one when she had danced with Mr. Collins, and she was tired of trying to come up with safe topics to talk about with him. She was surprised when he offered one.

"Do you often go the coffee shop across from the hospital?"

"Sometimes," she said and she was about to change the conversation so that it would stay far away from Wickham, but then she wondered. Why was she avoiding that topic? He, Mr. Darcy, should be the one to avoiding that topic.

"Yes, when you came the other day with Charles and Jane, I was supposed to be meeting someone," she said confidently and with a new attitude that she knew he caught on to.

"I'm assuming Wickham was the person you were meeting," he said quietly, but also following her suit in the attitude department.

"I don't see how that's your business, but yes, I was meeting him for coffee." As she said this, she felt his grip on her tighten. It was subtle but it was there.

"Wickham is very good at making friends," said Darcy looking at her right in the eye and making it impossible to look away, "But he's not good at keeping them."

"Really? I heard you too were close once. I guess that friendship is one he lost, but I'm not sure that was a bad one to lose," said Lizzie, her meaning quite clear.

Darcy had been about to reply but the song ended and Lizzie quickly let go and Darcy followed suit. To keep appearances, Lizzie quickly spoke.

"Thank you for the dance, Doctor," she said and then left the dance floor very quickly.


	11. Chapter 11

As soon as she was out of Darcy's line of sight, Lizzie let out a deep breath. That man irritated her to no end. How could he have the audacity to imply those things about Wickham? His arrogance made Lizzie's skin crawl and she really needed a break from the stuffy room.

Exiting the hall, she made her way outside where she took in the freezing air. She just needed a few moments to calm down, but apparently life did not intend to give her that.

"Lizzie."

Lizzie turned to see Caroline Bingley making her way towards her. Her lips were turned up in a smile but it instead gave off arrogance. Man, maybe Caroline and Darcy did deserve one another. Although Lizzie knew Darcy would never be interested in Caroline.

"It's quite chilly out here," said Caroline, who was wearing a soft cream colored coat that Lizzie suspected cost more than Lizzie's entire wardrobe.

"Yes, I like the cold at times. Feels refreshing."

"I see. You northerners," she laughed softly, tossing her red hair over her shoulders.

A moment or two passed without comment and Lizzie refused to say anything. She hoped if it was awkward enough that Caroline would simply head back into the party. Lizzie couldn't be that lucky though. Especially not tonight.

"So, I hear you're dating George Wickham."

Lizzie hid her shock. Why was everyone so interested in that fact? Hiding any questions, she replied softly, "Yes. I am."

"Well, I don't know if you know, my dear Lizzie," said Caroline (Lizzie scoffed inwardly), "Mr. Wickham is the son of the Darcy's accountant that passed away."

"I've heard as such," said Lizzie stubbornly.

"Therefore, being the incredible family that they are, they took him in and raised him. Loved him like one of their own."

"He mentioned that," said Lizzie, still showing no sign of interest.

"Wickham is a snake, Elizabeth. He threw everything away that they gave him. He totally betrayed their family," said Caroline passionately.

"Did he? How?"

"I don't know the particulars," said Caroline rolling her eyes, "Darcy prefers to keep some things private, which speaks of his character."

Or his dishonesty, thought Lizzie.

"So really my dear, you should choose your company more carefully," said Caroline turning to Lizzie with a smug facial expression while attempting to be perceived as caring. Lizzie smiled back, but it wasn't a friendly smile. It was a smile of disbelief that Caroline could actually be naive enough to think Lizzie would take her advice.

"Thank you for the advice, Caroline. I appreciate your candidness, but I will continue to make my own opinions of people."

"Well," said Caroline clearly a little shocked which only increased Lizzie's happiness, "I was only trying to help, Lizzie."

She was interrupted from saying more by a loud obnoxious laugh from their right. Lizzie and Caroline both looked, but only Lizzie was horrified at what she saw.

Lydia and Kitty were walking arm in arm while swaying back and forth on the path. They were clearly intoxicated, and Lizzie quickly made her way down the steps to them.

"Lydia! Kitty! What are you doing?"

"Lizzie," cried Lydia, and she wrapped her arms around her older sister.

Kitty, who Lizzie could see wasn't quite as drunk, gave Lizzie a slightly guilty look.

"Where did you get the alcohol?"

"Lydia managed to talk one of the guys into getting us some," said Kitty in which Lydia just started giggling uncontrollably. She murmured something about the guy being really cute.

"Oh my goodness, didn't mom tell you guys not to drink!"

"Correction, mom said we needed to ask permission before we drank," said Lydia raising her hand.

"Did you ask?"

"Psh, of course not, Lizzie" said Lydia, as Kitty shook her head.

"Of course not," said Lizzie, and she looked up to see Caroline watching the scene below with an expression that Lizzie could not read. As soon as their eyes met Caroline turned and walked back into the building.

Lizzie groaned. Caroline was one of the last people Lizzie would have wanted to witness this embarrassing situation. Lizzie was at a complete loss. She couldn't possibly take the girls back into the party, but she needed to get her parents so they could all go home. She decided to text Charlotte for help. Thankfully she responded immediately, and appeared quickly outside, bringing Mr. Bennet's keys.

"Did you tell my father?"

"Yes. And Lizzie, something else happened inside."

"What?"

"Your mother," began Charlotte, "Well, she kind of got a little drunk herself."

Lizzie moaned as both of her sisters burst into a fit of giggles.

"What did she do?"

"Nothing except talk really loudly…with comments on how her daughter snared a rich guy."

Lizzie sank to the ground with a groan. Why? Why did her family have to be so embarrassing?

"How's Jane?"

"She was helping your mother get her coat when I left. That's why your dad gave me the keys, because they were getting ready to leave."

"Good. Let this party be done with."

Helping both girls to the car, Lizzie tried not to picture all of her coworkers watching the Bennets make a complete fool of themselves. It was humiliating on a whole new level, but Lizzie's real fear was for Jane. Poor, good Jane must have been embarrassed at those comments and Lizzie could just see her red face.

"Charlotte. What did Charles do? When my mom made those comments, what was his reaction?"

"He took Jane's hand. Honestly, I was never more proud of him," said Charlotte, "They were the first people I looked at."

"He is truly amazing," said Lizzie and Charlotte nodded.

After a few minutes, the rest of the family made their way to the car, including Jane, who was helping Mrs. Bennet walk. Lizzie tried to read Jane's expression but couldn't, and Mr. Bennet simply shook his head and shrugged when Lizzie asked him what happened. Mary simply got in the car without saying anything.

Once they were all in the car, Mr. Bennet drove them away.

There was a quiet moment of silence and Jane reached for Lizzie's hand. They gave each other sad smiles and turned and walked back towards the building.

"You're not going back in, are you?"

"No, I'd rather not. I told Charles I was done for the night and he understood," said Jane calmly, "What about our coats though?"

"Leave that to me," said Charlotte, "I'll get them and meet you at the car."

"We are forever in your debt, Charlotte," said Lizzie.

When Lizzie and Jane arrived back at the apartment, there was an awkward silence that was filled with sad, gloomy looks between the two sisters. What really could they say?

Throughout the years, Lizzie and Jane had each experienced the embarrassment of their family. It was often a challenge to not get bitter over those difficult times, but Jane, being the sweet sentimentalist, kept Lizzie from bitterness.

When the time came where both sisters were at college, there was definitely a sigh of relief at being able to be in control of their own lives. After college, Mrs. Bennet had wanted them to move back home, but both sisters told their mother they wanted to move into the city.

Still maintaining communication, they had managed to separate themselves as best they could without being cruel or unkind. But this. This was getting complicated.

Lizzie could only remember the sneer on Caroline's face when Lydia and Kitty had shown up drunk. Caroline already was high and mighty, so giving her more ammunition would only lead to destruction.

Lizzie looked at Jane who seemed to be having the same troubled thoughts, so Lizzie crossed the room and hugged her. They stayed that way for several minutes. And honestly, Lizzie felt a bit better.

Jane's phone ringing made both of them jump of their deep subconscious and Jane reached for her phone to reveal Charles's name. Relieved, Jane answered and walked back to her bedroom for some privacy.

Lizzie decided to give her feet a break from the heels. She also decided to turn on the TV. Settling on some random house remodeling show, she lounged down on the couch, still in her beautiful dress.

Jane appeared a few minutes later and she hugged Lizzie from behind.

"He's so wonderful," she whispered softly.

"What did he say?"

"He said not to worry about anything…and he asked me out to dinner tomorrow night."

"What a guy," said Lizzie, nodding her head in appreciation, "Good thing I love you Jane, or I might try to steal him from you."

Jane only laughed and joined her sister on the couch where they talked until bed. Everything was going to be alright.

Despite the awful night, Lizzie went to her parent's house the next morning with extra energy. She had learned long ago that dwelling on her family would only damage her in the long run so she pushed forward, determined to make the day a good one. Her only purpose was to talk to her dad, who she knew would be in his office, shutting the rest of the world out.

She was surprised when she found another car in the driveway of her parent's house. She didn't know whose it was, but yet she felt like she had seen it before. Walking into the house, she was met by her mother who looked very happy.

"Oh Lizzie! Perfect! I'm so glad you're here," Mrs. Bennet said, pulling Lizzie forcibly into the house.

"Hello Mom. Nice to see you," said Lizzie, confused, as Mrs. Bennet also took her coat and quickly flung it on the rack.

"Come on, dear. I want you to see who came to see us this morning," said Mrs. Bennet, and she pulled Lizzie into the living room where Lizzie was horrified to see Mr. Collins sitting drinking coffee with her father.

Mr. Collins. In her house. Drinking coffee with her parents. Why?

"Mr. Collins?"

"Lizzie," he said, giving her his cheesy grin, "Your mother and I connected so well at the hospital that I just knew I had to get another chance to catch up and there was a little something I needed to discuss with your father."

"My father…" whimpered Lizzie and she looked at Mr. Bennet whose expression was unreadable as he sipped coffee.

"Yes, Lizzie," said Mrs. Bennet, "Why don't you sit down here on the couch next to Mr. Collins."

Lizzie was too surprised to do anything and she found herself being, well, to put it mildly, shoved onto the couch where Mr. Collins gave her such a smug look that Lizzie had to physical fight the urge to vomit.

"Mr. Collins was telling us about the work he does, Lizzie," said Mrs. Bennet, "Being a lawyer and all," she said, practically purring.

"Interesting," said Lizzie taking a large gulp of coffee, and wishing she was anywhere else in the world right now.

"Yes. I told them about all the work I've been doing at the hospital. Plus, I told them about my education and how all that came to be. I also told them about Katherine De Bourg."

"Of course you did," said Lizzie, under her breath and she looked at her father for help but his expression remained blank.

"Yes. Well. Mr. Bennet," said Mrs. Bennet smiling sweetly, "I have some new drapes I'm ordering and I need your approval. Would you mind coming with me?"

Her subtleness was not working. Lizzie started to rise quickly, but Mrs. Bennet put a firm hand on her shoulder, pushing her down, and Mr. Collins beamed and put down his coffee.

"Mr. Bennet?"

Mr. Bennet so far had said absolutely nothing, but he locked gazes with his wife who was attempting to make subtle jerks with her head to get him to follow her out. For a moment, Lizzie thought her father was going to save her, but instead he silently followed Mrs. Bennet out of the room.

Lizzie stood up to follow them, but Mrs. Bennet shut the door so loudly behind her that any attempt to leave now would be beyond rude. Silently fuming and trying to think of an excuse, Lizzie turned, only to have Mr. Collins right behind her.

She jumped slightly and took a good few steps back. Honestly, could Mr. Collins be any creepier with his smile. He now smiled and walked around the room with his hands together, and Lizzie knew that she just needed to get this over with it. So, in defeat, she walked back to the couch and sat down.

"To begin," said Mr. Collins," I just want you to know that your family is wonderful. Your mother has made me feel right at home."

"She's…she can be good at that," said Lizzie, unsure of what else to say.

Mr. Collins nodded at her as if he was applauding her good behavior. Lizzie rolled her eyes and sighed. Why was she staying again?

"My life the last few years has been absolutely transformed. I was able to get into law school. I was also able to have my entire bill paid for by the wonderful, divine, god sent, precious Katherine De Bourg-"

"Yes, I've heard of her," said Lizzie, unable to listen to that spiel again.

"Yes. Well, I was also able to get a job at Darcy De Bourg Law which is one of the most accomplished things that lawyers can do nowadays."

He waited and looked at Lizzie and she realized he was waiting for her to say something.

"Oh, um, great for you. Good job," she stammered, but he beamed, despite her clumsy effort to compliment him.

"Yes. I have reached the top of the mountain, so they say," he continued, pacing the living room. He looked like a modern, confident, idiot Mr. Banks from Mary Poppins. Laughing to herself, she kept a straight face.

"But there is one thing in my life that I'm lacking," he said dramatically.

"Oh goodness," said Lizzie, unable to keep it in as he walked to her and took a seat next to her. At first he left very little room so Lizzie scooted over, and put a pillow down to keep him at bay.

"I do not have a special person in my life that I can share all of my accomplishments with," he said truly grimly, "Miss De Bourg pointed that out herself. She said I needed to find a suitable girlfriend."

"Did she now?"

"Yes. I remember her words exactly. Choose carefully Mr. Collins. Pick a gentle woman for my sake and for your own enjoyment, let her be a pretty and useful sort of person."

"Interesting."

"Yes. As soon as I met you. I knew that you would meet her criteria. Your beauty, your manners, and your career. And the fact that you work with her nephew will only delight her more."

"Amazing," said Lizzie, in a sarcastic voice that Collins misread completely.

"Now, it comes to it," said Mr. Collins, as, to her horror, he took her hands in his, "I have already asked your father and now, I ask you. I want you to be the missing piece of the puzzle. I want a serious girlfriend and I think you're the perfect specimen."

"Mr. Collins..." began Lizzie, but he cut her off very quickly.

"Oh, and I already discussed with your parents the idea of you moving to New York."

"Moving to New York?" Lizzie did not bother to hide her shock and surprise.

"Yes. Well, in order to have a proper relationship we would need to live nearby. I know you share an apartment with your sister but your mother was very insistent that Jane was to be engaged soon so she would be moving out soon anyways. SO, we agreed this was perfect," he said smiling and rubbing his hands together. "Plus, I asked Katherine's nephew-"

"Darcy?"

"Yes, I asked him about putting in a word for you at the hospital that he does work in."

"Oh, goodness," said Lizzie, her face turning red. She could just see the look on Darcy's face, "What did he say?"

"He said he would be happy to. He asked if you were seriously moving to New York and I told I hadn't asked you too yet but was confident you would say yes."

"Oh boy. Bet that gave him a laugh," said Lizzie shaking her head. Collins watched her, practically bouncing with excitement.

"What do you think?"

"Wow. You and my mother have everything planned…but you forget one thing, Mr. Collins," said Lizzie rising from the couch.

"What's that?"

"I have not given you an answer. Let me do so now. I thank you for the compliments of my…beauty…and manners…and career."

"And your family," he added.

"Yes. My family," said Lizzie heavily, and Mr. Collins again misread her meaning.

"But I am sorry Mr. Collins. I can't be your girlfriend."

At first, all Lizzie could see on his face was cold shock but within a few minutes, he started chuckling.

"I am not discouraged," he said throwing his hands about happily, "It has been my observation that woman tend to say no at first to the men they like. So they can, as they say, play hard to get."

Lizzie laughed a little thinking it was a joke but then realized. He was absolutely serious.

"So, Lizzie. Let us drop the charade," he said and opened his arm for a hug…hopefully a hug. The way he puckered his lips implied he had more absurd ideas.

"Okay. Let me put this in a way you're going to understand," said Lizzie bluntly. "I am not interested in you that way. In fact, let me say it this way as well. I am a woman with a brain, and I will not be moving across the country for a relationship with a man who has an obsession with another woman. I don't wanty to be mean, but I'm trying to get you to understand. Got it?"

Once again, he looked shock, but just like before, he started chuckling, "Playing hard to get a little too hard, Miss Bennet."

"Nope. I'm done," said Lizzie, and she walked to the door throwing it open only to see her mother's shocked expression.

"Bye Mom. Sorry to ruin your future plans for me," said Lizzie, walking straight to the door.

"Lizzie, if you step out of that door, I'll never talk to you again," wailed Mrs. Bennet as Lizzie stopped with her hand on the doorknob. "Mr. Bennet, talk some sense into the girl!"

Lizzie slowly turned to see her father's face. He was looking at her in a peculiar way and motioned for her to come towards him. Mr. Collins began speaking and Mr. Bennet closed the door to the sitting room, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Lizzie debated just going out the door but slowly she walked towards her father with her hands in her pockets.

"Tell her to go back in there. He's a lawyer and an incredible man. Plus, you could work in New York. New York, Lizzie! You could make great connections for your life," said Mrs. Bennet, her voice practically shrieking. But, the whole time she had been talking, Lizzie had been looking in one place. Her father, Mr. Bennet.

Mr. Bennet waited till Mrs. Bennet had finished crying. Yes, she had even begun to cry during that speech. He handed his wife a tissue and then he cleared his throat.

"Lizzie…it is a great opportunity that you are rejecting. You know that right?"

"Yes sir."

"And you are going to leave with the knowledge that you must be a stranger to one of your parents."

"Yes, I'll never speak to her again if she passes this up," said Mrs. Bennet as Lizzie looked at the ceiling so Mrs. Bennet couldn't see her face.

"And I'll never speak to you again if you take it," said Mr. Bennet.

Lizzie smiled as Mrs. Bennet burst into hysterics. She launched herself into the living room throwing the door open talk to Mr. Collins who for the first time in the conversation was actually understanding that Lizzie was saying no. He too, seemed ready to burst into hysterics.

Lizzie looked gratefully at her father who gave her a small wink. Winking back, Lizzie walked back to the door and left. She had wanted to talk to him about the previous night, but now it seemed a much wiser course to get away from that house as quickly as possible.

Practically jumping down the stairs laughing to herself, Lizzie practically ran into Charlotte who was walking up the sidewalk.

"Charlotte?"

"Oh, Lizzie. Hello, I found one of your sister's shoes last night and I thought I would return it," she said. Just then though, Mrs. Bennet's shriek reached pivotal point and Charlotte looked alarmed.

"Yeah, I kind of just did something my mom didn't approve of…," said Lizzie trying to explain.

"What did you do?"

"More of what I didn't do I guess. I rejected Collins," said Lizzie.

"You rejected him? Wait, is he in there now?"

"Yeah," said Lizzie walking past her, "So, you may want to wait in returning the shoe. Sorry, I'm in a hurry to get out of here. Want to go back to the apartment and watch something?"

"Umm. No. I'm here. I'll just return the shoe," said Charlotte.

"Really?"

"Yeah," she said shrugging, "I'll see you later tonight. Want to do dinner?"

"Sure. My place?"

"Nah, I want to go out!"

"Okay. Text me a place and the time and I'll meet you there."

"Sounds good."

When Lizzie got home, she found Jane in the kitchen cutting up vegetables. She waved her knife in a hello gesture. "How were the parents?"

"Well…," said Lizzie taking off her coat, "It was interesting. And busy. I managed to screw up mom's life plan for me, she says she'll never speak to me again, and I rejected a man who wanted me to move across the country for him…and…oh! I made dinner plans with Charlotte."

Jane looked up with her mouth hanging open but Lizzie shrugged and moved past her to use the restroom.

"Ah, you have to come back and explain that."

"I will."

As she regaled Jane about her morning in great detail, Lizzie enjoyed watching her sister's face as she tried to picture the whole ordeal.

"My, I guess he really must have liked you."

"Creepily so," said Lizzie, munching on the veggies Jane was cutting up.

"So, mom knows about me and Charles."

"I think everybody knows Jane," said Lizzie laughing, "And besides, she is living in her own world. It won't be official until you guys say it is and that's months away."

Jane had turned towards the sink and was washing more vegetables when Lizzie heard her speak barely above a whisper. "Maybe."

"What?"  
Jane turned back as she wiped her hands on a towel. "I'm not so sure I want it to be months away anymore."

"Why? What about all that stuff about Dale? You were wanting to make this relationship different than Dale."

"I did. I do."

"Okay. Then what changed?"

"The guy changed," said Jane, leaning on the counter, "Here's the truth, Lizzie."

"Truth?"  
"Charles is different. Way different than Dale ever was. I keep thinking…I guess waiting for Charles to say certain things. The things that always bothered Dale…I keep waiting for Charles to give off a red flag…but he doesn't. He proves over and over again that he is simply the most perfect guy that ever walked this planet."

Lizzie smiled and grabbed Jane's hand as Jane's voice began to quiver as she attempted to hold back tears of happiness.

"Last night was the final proof of my wrongdoing. He should have been angry and humiliated at our family's behavior but instead, he accepted it with such grace. Honestly, I wish you could have seen him. I realized all along…it was so wrong of me to be comparing the relationships. He doesn't deserve that. He doesn't deserve me to be putting up all these walls to keep him at arm's length."

Lizzie thought through everything that Jane was saying. She compared the two relationships in her head…and really, she reached the same conclusion Jane reached. There was no comparison. In every area, Charles bested Dale. Dale, would have been the first person out the door if Mrs. Bennet had behaved that way. Plus, he would have blamed Jane instead of Charles, who took her by the hand.

"So, what does this mean, Jane?"

"It means. It means I'm going to accept his proposal of marriage, tonight."

Both girls at first were quiet, taking in Jane's declaration, but then, at the same time, they both burst in squeals and hugged each other.

"I'm so proud of you, Jane. I have to admit when you didn't accept him right away, I was worried, but now I am so happy for you."

"Yes, thank you, Lizzie. You gave me the confidence to step into this relationship in the first place. Plus, you helped me get to this point. You're amazing."

"Well, of course."

"Plus," said Jane dropping the hug and smiling at her mischievously, "I am going to need a maid of honor."

"Cool. I hear Patrick Dempsey is available."

"Oh funny. You know it's going to be you."

"Yeah, I do. And when it's my turn…or if-"

"Stop it Lizzie, you're going to get married."

"Maybe. Let's change the topic."

"To what?"

"Let us go to your room," said Lizzie dragging Jane, "We are going to find the perfect outfit for you to get engaged in."

They spent the whole day getting Jane ready. It was true that half the time, they were simply goofing off but they did find Jane a dynamite outfit to wear. When she was ready, Lizzie stepped back and admired her beloved sister's beauty.

Yes, she was physically beautiful tonight, but what made her truly beautiful was how happy she was. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation and excitement. Most of all, she couldn't keep anything but a grin on her face which gave her feelings away completely.

Right when Charles arrived, Jane turned to hug Lizzie one more time. This hug lingered. They both knew when Jane would return home tonight, everything would be different. But it was a good change. They both knew that, yet it didn't stop them from taking a moment to cling on to the past.

"I love you, dear sister," whispered Jane. "Thanks for always being here. No matter what. You always make me laugh and that has been a precious gift."

Lizzie's eyes welled up with tears. "I love you too…and thanks for being you, Jane. You've taught me to be a better person. Plus, you've been my companion for my whole life, and that is the most precious gift you can give anyone."

After a moment, they broke the hug. Lizzie quickly fixed Jane's smeared eyes, and off she went.

Just a few moments after Jane had left, Lizzie got the text from Charlotte she had been waiting for. Grabbing her coat, Lizzie took off for the restaurant that Charlotte had named.

She arrived before Charlotte so Lizzie decided to dive into the free bread. It was so good. As she debated between stealing all the bread or simply marrying it, Charlotte appeared.

"Hi," she said taking a seat.

"Hey, yourself. You can help me pick out my wedding colors because I think I'm going to marry this bread."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, you have to try it. It's a beautiful drop of heaven that goes into your mouth."

Charlotte did try and they continued like this for a few minutes before they decided they should order instead of filling up on the bread. Lizzie considered telling Charlotte about Jane but she didn't want to take away from Jane telling people.

Just as they were finishing dinner, Charlotte cleared her throat.

"Lizzie. I have something I have to tell you."

"Okay," said Lizzie as she checked her phone. She had been checking it every five minutes waiting for Jane to call and announce they were engaged officially.

"Please, this is important. Can you put down your phone?"

"Sure. Sorry." Lizzie slid her phone into her purse and then gave Charlotte her undivided attention.

"I've been trying to think of a good way to tell you all night. And there just was no good way except the direct way."

Lizzie watched Charlotte as she said this. Charlotte wasn't quite meeting her eyes, and now that Lizzie thought about it, Charlotte had been a little off all evening. Lizzie guessed that because she had been distracted thinking about Jane that she had missed Charlotte's subtle clues.

"Just tell me whatever it is, Char," said Lizzie leaning forward, "You know you can tell me anything."

Charlotte fidgeted with her napkin in her lap. Lizzie began to try and think what Charlotte had to tell her. It had to be about her family. Nothing made Charlotte squirm like this but her family.

"Is it your family?"

"No…well…maybe. I don't know," said Charlotte taking a drink.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know how to tell you."

"Just tell me," pleaded Lizzie, "Just say it. Quickly before you lose nerve. Say it."

"I'm moving to New York."

Wow. Lizzie had not seen that coming.

"And I'm seeing William Collins," said Charlotte nervously.

Nor that. Lizzie definitely did not see that coming.

Dead silence. Lizzie blinked and tried to process that. Moving to New York? Seeing William Collins? How was she supposed to take that? What was she supposed to say? Confirming she understood seemed safe enough.

"Now…when you say seeing?"

"Dating. I'm dating William Collins."

"Dating," said Lizzie, "You mean you're dating William Collins. The lawyer."

"Yes."

What? How? She had just seen both of them this morning.

"The guy that was at my house this morning."

"Well, yeah," said Charlotte shifting uncomfortably, "I know it seems rushed. (Lizzie let out a snort) But, we talked all day and we really hit it off. I really like him."

"Okay," said Lizzie still not completely believing it. "What's this about moving to New York?"

"Oh. Yeah. He mentioned that there was a job there. And, if I wanted, I could have it. It was supposed to be for…um…you, but he said he didn't see why Dr. Fitzwilliam-"

"Darcy," corrected Lizzie.

"Fine. Darcy. William said he didn't see why Darcy wouldn't give me a reference, as well. I'm a good nurse too."

"Absolutely, you are a good nurse," said Lizzie dryly. At this point, she was too flabbergasted to say anything else. Might as well acknowledge the information she could process.

"So…what do you think?"

Lizzie raised her eyebrows and said nothing. She studied Charlotte's face waiting for some kind of punch line. But as Lizzie studied Charlotte's face, she realized that Charlotte was being a hundred percent sincere. She was dating Collins. She was moving to New York.

Now, having nothing to say wasn't Lizzie's problem. The problem was she had too much to say.

"Lizzie?" Charlotte was searching Lizzie's face for some kind of reaction. Lizzie assumed Charlotte wanted her approval and congratulations.

"What?"

"I want your opinion."

Lizzie wasn't sure Charlotte actually wanted her opinion.

"You want my opinion?"

"Yes," said Charlotte firmly, "You are one of my closest friends."

Lizzie let those words sink in. Why did Charlotte have to say that? It was ripping at Lizzie's heart, which made this situation all the harder.

Taking just a moment, Lizzie came to a conclusion. True friends tell the truth. Even if it hurts and this…this was going to hurt.

"I think it's ridiculous."

These words escaped Lizzie's mouth before she had really thought them through. They had the immediate effect Lizzie knew that they would when she said them. Charlotte's face fell but she countered back quickly. "Why?"

Why? Was Charlotte actually asking Lizzie that question?

Lizzie's disbelief only stirred up her temper. "Why? Why in the world would I think it's ridiculous for you to move across the country for a guy you hardly know?"

Charlotte didn't say anything but she closed her mouth so Lizzie continued.

"A guy you just started dating today and who earlier today was declaring his feelings for another woman," said Lizzie letting her cool slide a little, "Which, let's remember who that was. Oh, just your best friend. It just makes the situation ten times as weird."

"Yeah, and someone pounded on his heart pretty hard," said Charlotte, fully on the defensive.

"Are you seriously taking his side?"

"He's my boyfriend!"

"For a few hours! I've been your best friend for years!"

This last statement was louder than Lizzie had intended and most of the nearby tables were looking at them now.

Charlotte, clearly angry, threw money on the table and stood up. "I knew you wouldn't be supportive."

"Well, if you knew than why bother telling me?"

"I don't know!" And with that, Charlotte stalked off. Lizzie watched her get a cab and disappear.

How had the dinner turned bad so quickly? Charlotte and Lizzie had never fought like that.

Taking in a deep frustrated breath, Lizzie made sure there was enough money by adding some herself and just like Charlotte, she got a cab and quickly left.

As the cab wove in and out of traffic, Lizzie fumed in the back seat. How could Charlotte do something so stupid? She wouldn't. Charlotte wouldn't move across the country for a guy she hardly knew. Lizzie would stop her. Lizzie would talk to her again. Lizzie would knock some sense into her head and she would make Charlotte understand and see it her way.

Still drilling this into her mind when she arrived home, she walked into a darkened apartment. She turned on the lights, turned, and let out a small gasp.

Jane was sitting on the floor against the wall. She had her arms wrapped around her knees and her head was bowed deeply.

"Jane?"

Slowly, Jane raised her head. She looked strange. Almost like she wasn't completely there. Her skin had lost its glow from earlier and her eyes…they were dark and empty.

"What's wrong?" Lizzie rushed to her side and dropped to her knees.

Jane didn't answer right away but she lowered her eyes and looked back at the floor. After a few seconds, she replied in the deadest voice Lizzie, had ever heard her speak.

"We broke up."


	12. Chapter 12

We broke up. Lizzie tried to process this as she stared at Jane's apparent lifeless form. "What do you mean you broke up?"

"We broke up."

"No, I mean," said Lizzie as she dropped her purse on the floor, and reached for her sister's arm, pulling her off the floor, "Did you guys fight or something?"

"Fight?" said Jane, looking confused as she simply repeated the word again in a soft voice.

"Yeah, did you guys have a fight?" said Lizzie anxiously.

"No," said Jane, still answering in a weird daze that showed no emotion. "We didn't fight."

"Well, what happened?" said Lizzie speaking even faster attempting to hurry Jane's response.

"He broke up with me."

Impossible. It was simply impossible. There was no way that love-struck Charles would break up with her. Charles's infatuation with Jane had been evident from the moment he first saw her. And his infatuation had quickly turned into something deeper. No, Charles would not do this. Lizzie had watched the both of them fall in love right before her eyes. It was obvious. Everyone knew that they were in love.

"Honey," began Lizzie, "Jane. Please, you have to give me more details. What did he say?"

Jane, still in her daze, walked to the door where she slowly removed her coat which she still had had on. She then walked to the kitchen where, to Lizzie's disbelief, took out the milk and drank straight from the carton. Lizzie followed her, unsure what to say…or do. She couldn't really jump on any train of thought until she had more information and Jane's sloth movements were causing Lizzie's head to explode with unanswered questions.

"Jane. What did he say? Did you guys even go to dinner?" said Lizzie forcibly removing the milk from Jane who had been drinking it like it was her lifeline.

"Yes. We went to a nice Italian restaurant. The bread was really good. I thought about grabbing some for you-" she started, but Lizzie quickly interjected. "Jane!"

Jane jumped at Lizzie's outburst and, for the first time, her face began to show real emotion. "He…he said we were in different places in the relationship…he said that he was looking for something serious and…and…"

"And what?"

"He left," said Jane in a pathetic whimpering voice.

"He left? Just like that?"

"I don't remember all what he said…" said Jane quietly.

"That makes no sense," said Lizzie, trying to picture the whole ordeal in a restaurant. Different places in the relationship? Why would he think that?

"Jane. Did you tell him what you told me," Lizzie said taking her sister's shoulders in her hands, "Please tell me you told him exactly what you told me today."

Jane's lip quivered and, in the quietest voice yet, she answered, "I couldn't."

And with that, she shrunk to the kitchen floor. Spreading out on the floor like she was a dog, Jane burst into tears. Lizzie quickly shrunk to the floor where she grabbed her sister's head and placed it on her lap.

"Jane. Please. It will be okay. You can talk to him tomorrow."

"No, I can't."

"Why?"

"His flight….it was a red eye flight tonight," she sobbed, "He's gone."

"No, you can call him. You can tell him everything. This can be fixed."

"No…he left, Lizzie. Don't you see? Just like Dale…he left…and I lost him…I was going to tell him tonight that I wanted to marry him and I…I lost him," and that was all Lizzie could understand before Jane had a complete meltdown. Lizzie got her to bed as best as she could with difficulty because Jane appeared to have lost all feeling in her legs.

As Lizzie put Jane down in her bed, Lizzie drew a panicked blank. What was she supposed to do? Jane's crying had now evolved into wails and if she continued like this, there was a good chance someone would complain to the landlord.

NO. How could this have happened? Jane was supposed to come back home tonight an engaged woman. How could this have happed? Lizzie saw the way Charles had looked at Jane at the fundraiser. How she had looked back at him. All those feelings were evident in the looks exchanged between the two of them. How could Bingley think they were in two different places?

Maybe, she could call Bingley. She would talk to him. Make him see sense. But Lizzie's thoughts would have to be saved till later. Jane needed her tonight. And tomorrow, Lizzie would fix it. She would fix everything.

The next morning, an hour before her shift even started, Lizzie made her way to work. She had barely slept. All night, she had been at Jane's side as she cried on and on. There were times when Jane would be asleep but it was a restless sleep and the only way she would sleep was if Lizzie was rubbing her back. It had been hard to even leave her but she had a mission. She was going to get Charles back for Jane.

Even the hospital seemed to hold a certain gloom as Lizzie searched for Mrs. Gardiner. She found her in the locker room.

"Mrs. Gardiner?"

"Lizzie, good morning! You're here bright and early," she said in a tone of happiness that Lizzie could not reciprocate.

"Excuse me, but is Dr. Darcy in?"

Lizzie figured as much as she hated it, one good way to get to Charles was through his best friend.

"Dr. Darcy?"

"Yes, I need to talk to him. Will he be in soon?"

"Oh, um. Lizzie, clearly you didn't get the email I sent."

"Email? Oh, no. I haven't checked it lately. My life…," said Lizzie shaking with disbelief, "Let's just say my life has been pretty hectic the last day or so."

"I understand."

"So, what about Dr. Darcy?"

"He left."

"What do you mean he left? He quit?"

"No, he didn't quit. He wasn't under official contract. His agreement with us was only temporary."

"What? Why didn't I know this?"

"Well…" said Mrs. Gardiner sighing, "To be honest, we were hoping he would stay. And with how things were going, I honestly thought it was a possibility. But, I guess you never know…," she stopped as she looked at Lizzie's face, "Lizzie, what is it?"

"They both left," whispered Lizzie.

"Both? Oh yes. Dr. Bingley also left. His reasons were different though. He is doing some experimental research. He got a top grant for his research."

"Yeah, I know," said Lizzie bitterly.

"Lizzie," said Mrs. Gardiner frowning, "What is wrong?"

Lizzie sighed. She guessed telling Mrs. Gardiner wasn't such a bad thing. People were going to find out.

"Charles…he broke up with Jane."

"What?" Mrs. Gardiner's mouth dropped open.

"My reaction, exactly."

"I can't believe it…I was waiting to see the ring on the finger. That's one of the reasons I had assumed Dr. Darcy had a good chance of staying. They both seemed to like it here."

"I don't think Darcy liked it as much as Charles."

"Maybe not, but Lizzie, how is Jane?"

How was she supposed to answer that? Could she tell people that Jane was literally unable to do anything by herself at the moment? How could she tell people Jane had sobbed her way into an awful sleep that did not help. Could she tell people that Jane's once bright eyes were now as dead as a rock?

"That bad…" Mrs. Gardiner spoke before Lizzie could come up with a decent answer.

"I don't know what to do," said Lizzie, her eyes beginning to well up with tears, "I thought I could fix this. I came in…to talk to them."

"He did leave quickly," said Mrs. Gardiner, "I didn't know why at the time but now, I understand. It could not have been easy to do."

"He shouldn't have been doing it in the first place," said Lizzie angrily wiping away tears, "He's scum."

"You know that's not true," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Maybe he had a good reason."

"There's no good reason…because he will never find someone as wonderful as Jane," said Lizzie raising her voice and taking a seat on the chair. Mrs. Gardiner gave a sad smile and they both remained quiet for a moment.

"I'm going to call him," said Lizzie reaching for her phone but was surprised when Mrs. Gardiner ripped it from her hands. "No, you should not do that."

"Why?"

"Because he needs to come back the right way. On his own. Not with the sister guilt tripping him into it," she said firmly.

Lizzie knew that she was right. If he did change his mind, it needed to be his idea. She certainly didn't want to get involved too much in someone else's relationship. It needed to be their decision.

"You might be right."

"I know I am," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Now promise me you won't call him," she said, handing back Lizzie's phone.

"I promise," said Lizzie sighing but nodding.

"Good girl."

"He'll change his mind. And he'll come back," said Lizzie standing back up. She had a new strength. Charles would call Jane. They would get back together and everything would be fixed.

"I think Jane may need a few days off…"

"I was already planning on it," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Why don't you take those with her? She shouldn't be alone."

"Really? Are you sure that's okay?"

"Yes. I'll get someone to cover both your shifts."

"Thank you," and Lizzie turned to leave but Mrs. Gardiner put a hand on her shoulder.

"Lizzie…you need to be prepared…he may not come back. He may not call…don't give her false hope. That's the worst thing you could do right now. She just…needs to accept this."

"He's going to call. They will get back together," said Lizzie pointedly, and she turned and left.

That night, Lizzie tried using her skills as a nurse to keep Jane from sinking deeper and deeper into depression but her efforts were in vain. She tried everything from movies, music, and even massages. To top the evening off, Jane vomited the soup that Lizzie had made for her. Just as Lizzie was putting the stained sheets into the washer, she heard the door of their apartment open. Lizzie, a little freaked because she wasn't expecting anyone, reached for the baseball bat she kept simply for the reason they were two girls living alone.

But, as she rounded the corner, she saw someone who made her sigh with relief. Charlotte.

"I came as soon as my shift was over, how is she?"

"Charlotte," cried Lizzie with relief and she seized her good friend, wrapping her in deep hug.

Charlotte returned the hug quickly but asked the same question again. "How is she?"

"Not good," said Lizzie releasing Charlotte, "She just threw up the soup I made her. I've tried everything to get her to sleep but nothing works."

"Hmm, well…," said Charlotte reaching for her purse, "Mrs. Gardiner sent something along with me that might be helpful," and Charlotte pulled out a bottle of pills.

"NO, I'm not giving her drugs," said Lizzie firmly.

"Relax. Do you honestly believe Mrs. Gardiner would condone giving her drugs she wasn't prescribed? They are simply sleeping pills. Over the counter and everything. Jane needs to sleep, Lizzie. And this may be the only way to get her to get some."

Lizzie sighed. She took the bottle from Charlotte and studied it closely. There was nothing harmful about them. They should be fine.

"Fine. But only for tonight."

"I'll give them to her," said Charlotte rubbing her shoulder as she passed.

"Careful. Her room has a strange smell."

Lizzie was thankful for the quiet break that was she was able to have with Charlotte taking care of Jane. She got herself some soup but the memory of Jane's throw up kept Lizzie from being able to eat it. She pushed it away as Charlotte reappeared.

"She's asleep."

"Thank you so much, Charlotte," sighed Lizzie rubbing her eyes, "I take care of people for a living but this one has been more exhausting than work has ever been."

"Only because it's your sister," said Charlotte taking a seat next to her, "You're emotionally involved."

"Suppose so."

"So…what happened, Lizzie? Last thing I knew, they were practically down the aisle."

"I don't know, Char," said Lizzie sadly, "She was supposed to get engaged to him. I don't know."

"What did she say when it happened? What did he say?"

"She hasn't told me much. Only that he said they were in different places in the relationship," said Lizzie.

"What?"

"I know, doesn't make sense."

"Why would he think that?"

Lizzie had been considering this for a while. And to be honest, she had a theory. One even that Charlotte at one point had offered.

"Maybe…she wasn't forward enough," said Lizzie quietly.

"If that's the reason, then he's stupid," said Charlotte sharply.

"You, yourself, voiced that opinion at the beginning of the relationship."

"Yeah, the beginning. They've been together for a bit now and if he truly knew her, he would know that she loved him back."

"I suppose that's true…but what else can I assume?"

Charlotte shrugged, "Well, sometimes people don't see things the way you want them too. Even close people have disagreements sometimes."

The weight of this statement made Lizzie's conscience spring a little. She realized that the last time the two of them had talked, it had been in an argument in a restaurant. Lizzie had completely forgotten this. She had been so relieved so see her best friend that it completely escaped her mind.

"I'm sorry, Charlotte," she said quickly.

"I know. I'm sorry too, Lizzie."

"I know that I wasn't supportive….and if I'm being completely honest, Char…I'm still unsure of it. I haven't changed my mind, but I do want to change my attitude. I should never have gotten upset."

"I know you won't change your mind, Lizzie. That's why I love you. You're opinionated and passionate. You're also smarter than people give you credit for. And maybe you're right about the whole thing."  
Lizzie was confused by Charlotte saying that. Did she have doubts about moving to New York? "Why are you doing it if you have doubts?"

Charlotte let out a long deep sigh. "Truth?"

"Yes. Always."

"I'm tired of my life."

This statement caused a brief alarm in Lizzie and as she opened her mouth to reply, Charlotte shook her head. "That could be taken many different ways. Let me try to explain it this way. Just promise you'll listen and understand. Please, don't get angry."

"I won't," promised Lizzie reassuringly.

"I am tired of being…the one left out, Lizzie. I am the only one in my family still unmarried. And getting married is not everything, I know. But, you know what, Lizzie, I want that life. I don't care if people look down on me for that. I want the picket fence, the house, and the kids. The whole package, I've wanted it for a long time."

"I understand," said Lizzie.

"I know you do…which is why I was so thankful when we all became friends. You were some of the first females I met who understood that. Everyone is so consumed with being the 'modern' woman nowadays. They seem to associate weakness with wanting that life. Well, I don't associate it with weakness. I associate it happiness and love. I want to be a wife. I want to be a mother."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting that…I want it too."

"Exactly…but I haven't voiced that to my family."

"Why? Isn't that what your mom wants for you?"

"It is. Which is why I can't tell her. Because…I don't have it and I'm thirty years old."

"That's still really young Charlotte. Thirty isn't what it used to be. You can still have kids in your forties," argued Lizzie.

"I know that…but I don't want to…I want to be in a relationship that is heading towards that life."

"You can find someone, Char!"

"I have, Lizzie. And to be honest, it's not just about Collins that I'm doing this."

"Do you mean the move?"

"Yes. All my life I've lived cautiously. I haven't taken risks or broken rules and I don't regret that, but I'm unhappy in my routine. SO, why not do something crazy? I have very few ties here. I have some great friends. (She smiled at Lizzie.) But, my family and I aren't exactly close…"

"True…I guess."

"And just think of how exciting it would be to move to New York. New York, Lizzie! I could work in possibly one of the best hospitals in the country."

"It does sound exciting," admitted Lizzie, "But I would miss you so much. It kind of hurts me…I thought I…well, we…were more than that."

"We are, Lizzie," said Charlotte turning to face her, "You are the greatest friend I ever had. In fact, I'm closer with you than my own sister…And that's why I can't stay and watch."

"Watch what?"

"Watch you get swept off your feet."

Lizzie burst into laughter. "Who? Who is going to sweep me off my feet?"

"Wickham?"

"Oh, him," said Lizzie gloomily.

"Did something happen?"

"Well. He stood me up kind of…and I haven't talked to him since. I probably should call him at some point."

"Probably, but if that doesn't work out. You have other options."

"Like who?"

Charlotte didn't answer at first. Instead, she gave Lizzie's face a long read before replying softly. "You have more options than you think."

"Oh right, I have men lined up just looking to take this little tart out on a date," said Lizzie sarcastically.

"I just mean this…you are a beautiful woman. (Lizzie's snort didn't even make her pause.) Yes, you are, Lizzie. I know with Jane around, who is possibly an angel in disguise, you've always thought yourself plain. But, Lizzie, you are gorgeous and you don't see it.

Lizzie didn't respond in any way verbally but she did roll her eyes and shake her head, while shaking with laughter.

"And that's why sometimes it's been hard to be your best friend…"

Lizzie's laughter died and she looked at Charlotte with a mixture of hurt and anger.

"Don't get angry! You promised! I admit that could have been said better. Let me explain!"

"Okay…"

"You and Jane are so…perfect. I know you have flaws…but I mean, you are both so beautiful that the minute you walk into rooms, you have guys looking at you."

"They're looking at Jane," said Lizzie firmly.

"Yes….but they're also looking at you. You have always assumed the guys are looking at Jane. You've never realized you're also taking the attention of the room…which has also been frustrating to watch," admitted Charlotte, "Trust me. You have more admirers than you know."

"Okay…so what does that have to do with it being hard to be my friend?"

"I told you. I'm tired of being left out. And being with you guys has been the most wonderful thing…but it is hard being the invisible third friend that no guy looks at…"

"Guys look at you, Char," said Lizzie firmly.

"No…and if they do…it's only if you both have turned them down…"

Lizzie tried to counter back…but the more she thought about it…the more truth the statements held. Of course, Lizzie had never considered it before, but maybe, they had neglected Charlotte.

"I'm sorry…if there's anything we've done…"

"No. You guys have been wonderful friends. True friends. You've done nothing to me."

"But…you seem to resent us…slightly…I don't know, maybe it's your tone."

"That is another reason that I want to do this, Lizzie. I don't want to resent people just because they have something I want. I especially, don't want to resent you, Lizzie. One of the only true friends I've had."

They sat in silence for a while. Both of them considering what Charlotte had said. Lizzie could relate to her. Sometimes, growing up with Jane had been tough since she was basically the perfect child. She had gotten all of Mrs. Bennet's attention, which made things hard for Lizzie at points in her life. Lizzie, though, had never considered that Charlotte was feeling the same emotions.

But, as much as what Charlotte was saying was making sense. There was one part that Lizzie couldn't let go without saying anything. She carefully took a moment to consider her words before speaking. She wanted to uphold her promise to not get angry. "But, Charlotte…there are lots of guys out there…are you sure that…Collins in the guy that you want to jump for?

"If I don't take this chance now, Lizzie. I'm afraid I won't ever have another."

Heartbreaking words. Lizzie did not agree with Charlotte's decision. But, she had voiced her concerns and spoken the truth in love…that was all she could do.

"Alright Char…I guess you're moving to New York," she said smiling.

They hugged for a long time, and both were teary-eyed. They only let it go on for a few moments though, before wiping their eyes and moving on.

"You just have to promise me you'll visit," pleaded Char.

"A visit to New York? Uh, yeah, count me in!"

"Awesome! I can't wait to show you the town house we have!"

"Town house?"

"Yeah, Collins bought it a little while ago at the recommendation of Katherine. It's beautiful."

"I look forward to seeing it."

"Let's make the plans for the trip now. I know you're a busy woman so I want to get on your schedule early so it will happen."

"Alright."

"How about we order some pizza? Just because Jane won't eat it, doesn't mean we can't!" And she ran off to grab her phone to order which gave Lizzie a moment to herself.

Wow. Her life. It had changed so quickly…and within a couple of days no less.

The next few weeks were some of the hardest weeks Lizzie had ever had to go through. Jane was slowly improving, but it was painfully hard to watch. And while Lizzie was dealing with the heartbreak of her sister, she also had to go through the departure of her closest friend. Charlotte had given notice at the hospital and their last shift together was tough for Lizzie to handle. They comforted each other with the promise of a visit soon.

Lizzie received a much needed distraction and boost to her spirits the following week as Jane finally improved enough to return to work. She was still mostly unresponsive and dead-faced, and Lizzie braced herself for a flood of questions about what was wrong with Jane, but she was shocked when Jane, right as they entered the hospital doors, began acting like her old smiling self.

It threw Lizzie off at first, but even though Jane's smile was evident on her face, knowing her as she did, Lizzie could see past it. Jane's eyes still had not captured their brightness, her smile was not as bright, and her laugh had lost some of its charm. Most people bought into Jane's recovery despite these subtle clues.

The first time they went home to the Bennet's was completely awful. Although Jane accepted Mrs. Bennet's wails of confusion with kindness, Lizzie could see that every comment Mrs. Bennet made was only eating away at Jane's heart. Lizzie, to save her sister, purposefully provoked an argument with Mrs. Bennet to divert the attention. On the way home, Jane cried once more and she thanked Lizzie for her interference.

As the days rolled on, Jane began to slowly heal but Lizzie knew that Jane once again would never fully recover. Just like Dale. Jane had once again had her heart broken. And this one might have done her over.

Jane, however, was not the only one struggling with guilt. Lizzie, too, in the dark of the night, often cried.

Lizzie remembered Jane expressing her concern over taking such big leaps with Charles. And Lizzie had encouraged and persuaded her to take those leaps. Now, all of it had only come back to slap Jane in the face. So, only when Jane wasn't looking, did Lizzie cry.

Lizzie had been convinced that Charles would call. She thought that within a couple of days, he would have come to his senses. To be completely honest, she had thought that Charles would never hurt Jane. She had been wrong twice now about his character which made her feel ten times as guilty.

Only after weeks of misery for the both of them, one night, Jane entered Lizzie's room.

"Hey."

"Hi, can't sleep?"

"No…I just thought we should talk," Jane said, and she snuggled in with Lizzie.

"Sure…but it is after midnight and we work tomorrow."

"I know," said Jane, "But…I've had enough of this, Lizzie."

"Enough of what?"

"Moping. It's all we do now, Lizzie," said Jane sitting up and looking at Lizzie, "We need to stop moping around and we need to live our lives."

"I'm not moping. What would I have to mope about?"

"Don't lie to me. I've heard you at night. Lizzie, please don't tell me you blame yourself for what happened."

Lizzie tried to turn away from her sister but Jane held on firmly.

"Listen to me, Lizzie. You share no blame in what happened."

"Yes, I do," said Lizzie as she wiped an escaped tear of her cheek, "I persuaded you to keep jumping through hoops without thinking of what could happen."

"You encouraged me to go for it," said Jane warmly, "And I did. True…it didn't work out…but that's okay." Jane said this with a new strength that Lizzie had not heard in weeks. So, she turned and studied her sister.

"No, I'm not completely recovered but…I'm better…" said Jane shrugging, "I don't want to live this way. I don't want to mope. I want to live my live. Come on! Get up!"

And with this, she pulled Lizzie out of the bed, who protested against leaving the warm bed. Jane pulled her all the way into the living room where she turned on the stereo.

"Jane?"

"Dance it out," said Jane and she began dancing. Lizzie watched her sister for a moment before giving in halfheartedly.

"No, no halfsies! We both are going to decide to let go of what happened and move on!"

Lizzie looked at her sister's face and smiled. True, Jane was not completely recovered but there was a new flush to Jane's cheeks that was an old strength. Jane would recover, therefore, Lizzie did not need to shut down. She needed to wake up. Waking up would only help Jane.

"I'm in," said Lizzie firmly.

"Great. Now, let's dance."

They did this for a few minutes with the music blaring before they got angry shouts that they could only assume was from their neighbor. They quickly turned off the music and Lizzie pulled out some ice cream.  
Eating straight from the container, they sat on the floor together.

"So…each of us is going to pick something new to do," said Jane eating ice cream happily.

"Okay, like a new hobby?"

"I don't know," said Jane, "I just want to focus on something new."

"Alright."

"Maybe…maybe I should buy a house!"

"What?"

"I'm serious," said Jane.

"Jane," said Lizzie in disbelief, "Why would you buy a house? You have a great apartment and, if I do say so myself, a great roommate!"

"I know…but I was thinking I wanted chickens."

"What?"

"Fresh eggs…remember when we had chickens growing up-"

"Yeah, I remember having to clean out the coop as a chore…it was disgusting!"

"Yes," agreed Jane, "But you have to admit those fresh eggs were amazing."

"I'll admit that. What does that have to do with a house?"

"I can't get chickens with an apartment. I have to have a yard."

"Wanting chickens is not a great reason to buy a house," said Lizzie, "But I will consider renting a house with you, if you want?"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah...could be cool to have more space."

"Thank you! I'm totally going to do some research tomorrow. One of my patients is a realtor."

"Works out well," chucked Lizzie, "I guess I have a thing too."

"What's that?"

"I'm going to break the ice with Wickham."

"Oh, wow. I had completely forgotten about him."

"Well, things have been interesting lately to put it mildly. And I assumed he would call, but he didn't."

"So? Call him yourself," said Jane.

"I will. I also have another thing."

"What's that?"

"Well," began Lizzie, "I promised Charlotte I would visit her in New York when she left."

"Oh, Lizzie, that's perfect! You should totally go!"

"Are you sure? I didn't want to leave before…because of…well, you know," said Lizzie awkwardly.

"I am absolutely sure. You've put your own life on hold enough as it is. You should totally go. That will give me time to look for a house for us. Then, when you get back, we can look at my top choices together," said Jane taking a big mouthful of ice cream and humming with pleasure.

"Alright. I'll ask Mrs. Gardiner when I can get off. Maybe, I could go even go next week."

Charlotte was only too thrilled to hear that Lizzie was coming for the visit. She promised Lizzie a memorable trip and Lizzie, surprised at herself, actually felt excited.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter** **13**

Jane had kept her promise and had made a great recovery. Though Lizzie still suspected Jane wasn't completely okay, Lizzie was only too relieved to have her sister back that it didn't seem to matter. Bearing that in mind, Lizzie threw all her energy into planning her trip with Charlotte.

Her flight was going to be early on Saturday morning. As she left work Friday afternoon before her week off, she was surprised to see someone waiting outside the hospital.

Coffee in hand, Wickham stood waiting. As she stopped, he waved and held out a coffee.

"Hi," he said clearly nervous.

"Hey yourself," said Lizzie walking towards him and she accepted the coffee he handed to her.

"So…"

"So…" said Lizzie smiling awkwardly.

"Look. I feel really bad about the last couple of weeks," he said, "Please give me a chance to explain."

"Sure," said Lizzie shrugging trying to get over the awkwardness.

"I know this is long overdue. I should have called you the very next day after the fundraiser but…to be honest, I was kind of embarrassed."

"Hey, don't be embarrassed, and do you want to sit?" said Lizzie pointing out a bench.

"Sure. That would be better," he agreed, and together they took a seat on the bench. "So, truth be told," he began again, "I was looking forward to our date, Lizzie. Really! As the time grew closer and closer, I got really nervous."

"Okay, did I do something to make you nervous?"

"No. Not at all. It has nothing to do with you. You see. I haven't been a part of that scene since…well…the whole thing with Darcy. The more I thought about it, the more nervous I felt about facing those people."

"You mean Darcy?"

"Not just him, the whole…wealthy crowd, I guess. They can be an awful bunch. Especially when they've been manipulated into ostracizing someone."

"I get it," said Lizzie reassuringly, "I really do. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to go in the first place. That wasn't my best moment."

"It's not your fault. I just should have had the guts to say so in the beginning…I just didn't want you to think me weak."

"I don't think you're weak," said Lizzie quickly, "On the contrary, I think you're very strong. Most people who got a raw deal like you would be bitter individuals. Yet, you live with a joy that's contagious."

"Thanks. So, I haven't lost my manliness in your eyes," he said smiling.

"No, of course not."

"I should have talked to you sooner."

"Yes," agreed Lizzie, "If there's one area I'll be critical of, that's the one. I would have felt weird calling you, because I was the one who kind of got stood up."

"I'm sorry. To be completely honest Lizzie, the truth is…" Wickham said fidgeting, "I kind of met someone."

"Oh," said Lizzie surprised.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie. I should have told you that sooner…but I was embarrassed at first and the longer I waited, the harder it was to pick up the phone," he said, scrambling to explain.

"Wickham, it's okay," said Lizzie.

"I met her and we really hit it off. I'm kind of seeing her now."

Lizzie listened as he continued explaining how he and Marie, the girl, had met. It sounded like it was a whirlwind thing and as Lizzie listened, she found herself surprised at how little she cared. Almost like she  
was relived. Maybe she hadn't been as into him as she thought.

Focusing back on Wickham, she realized he had stopped talking. She quickly spoke. "Wickham, it's completely 100% okay. I'm happy for you."

"Wow. You really are something. Most girls, I believe, would be upset in this situation. I was expecting you to be."

"Wow, a little high on yourself, are we?"

"Sorry," he admitted, "I have to be. Confidence is sexy."

Lizzie and Wickham both laughed, and Wickham took her hand. "So…can we still be friends?"

"Yeah, I'd like that," said Lizzie nodding and she came up with an idea. "Say, Jane and I are having dinner over at my parents tonight. Do you and Denny want to come? It would just be fun time."

"Thanks. That sounds great."

Wickham and Denny brought so much charm and fun to the Bennet household. The whole night, laughter filled the house and Mrs. Bennet gushed over both of them. Very quickly, she invaded their personal lives and asked them if they were seeing anyone. Lizzie smiled down at her food for she knew that Mrs. Bennet was hoping for Lizzie to go away with a new boyfriend. If only her mother knew that Lizzie had already dated one of them. Mrs. Bennet was visibly disappointed when both men replied they were already in relationships but Wickham quickly cheered her back up.

Mr. Bennet was noticeably quieter as the dinner went on. Wickham entertained the family with stories of his youth. Lizzie was surprised at his openness. No, he did not reveal everything that he had revealed to her but he did not shy away from taking shots at Darcy.

Mr. Bennet listened with an expressionless face but Lizzie, knowing her father, could see his gears working as he listened.

After both men had left, Lizzie went to the study in search of her father. Knocking, she heard him bid her enter.

"Hi," she said stepping in and taking a deep breath. Once again, she was greeted by her father's wonderful office smell, peppermint and parchment.

"Hello, my dear, Lizzie. You leave tomorrow for New York, correct?"

"Yes, in the morning," she answered taking a seat in one of the leather chairs.

"Shouldn't you be going soon?" Mr. Bennet said this as he gazed at his old grandfather clock that had been passed down to him from his grandfather.

"Soon enough. I can always sleep on the plane," said Lizzie practically.

"Hmm," he said and he began to read his newspaper. Lizzie watched him not sure exactly how to ask the question that was burning in her brain.

"You didn't like Wickham." It was a statement. Not a question.

Mr. Bennet smiled without looking up from his newspaper. "I didn't think I was supposed to like any man who dates my daughters."

Lizzie blushed, "How did you know?"

"Simple observations," he said shrugging, "But clearly, you're not dating him anymore."

"No," admitted Lizzie, "We went out once but…I'm not sure why it didn't work."

"Didn't he say that he was dating someone?"

"Well, yeah, but that was after we didn't work out."

"Well then, why are you asking me about it?"

"I don't know," admitted Lizzie, "I guess because…I still like him. No, not like that, but he's a good friend and I don't know why you didn't like him."

"It's not that I didn't like him," said Mr. Bennet, "He is very pleasant and energetic. There is just one thing about him I didn't appreciate."

"What?"

"His stories of his…well, as he put it, his 'misfortunes'", said Mr. Bennet still reading his newspaper. "It was very good of him to entertain us that way," he said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"But dad, he has been treated awfully by Darcy."

"I'm not saying he hasn't been, Lizzie," said Mr. Bennet finally putting down his paper. "But you may find that Darcy may not be any more at fault than your average wealthy man."

"What do you mean? Of course, he's at fault."

"I'm sure he is, but Lizzie," said Mr. Bennet looking at her deep in the eye, "Be careful about judging too quickly when you're not directly involved in a situation. It takes two to fight. And most of all, there are always TWO sides to every story."

The next day, Lizzie boarded her plane for New York. She was very excited to see Charlotte and the city of New York. Growing up in Chicago, she had traveled rarely and this was her first time going near the coast.

She had planned on sleeping on the plane, but her excitement gave her a sleepless energy so she read instead. The flight felt quick due to Lizzie's interest in the book so she was shocked when the captain announced they would be landing soon.

She went straight to baggage claim where Charlotte and she had already agreed to meet. As she approached, she recognized the back of Charlotte's head. Unfortunately, she also recognized the profile next to her friend. She had hoped to be free of Collins a bit longer, but there was no point in delaying.

"Charlotte," she called.

Charlotte flipped around and squealed while running to her.

"Lizzie," said Charlotte giving her a quick hug, "I am so excited that you're here. It's amazing to see you."

"I'm glad to see you too, Char," said Lizzie, and she added," Nice to see you too, Collins."

"Welcome to New York. Our humble abode," he said grinning his same cheesy grin.

"Thanks. So, I'll grab my bag," said Lizzie.

"I can grab them," said Collins but Lizzie refused. She didn't need to watch him struggle and Lizzie was pretty sure she was stronger than he was.

All the way back, Collins talked of New York. Lizzie half listened while exploring with her own eyes. New York was incredible. It had this energy that was attainable the minute you saw it or breathed it in.

They drove for a ways before Collins pulled into what Lizzie could only assume was their townhouse. It gave the appearance of being squeezed in but Lizzie was surprised when she got it on how spacious it was.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, Char, it's beautiful," said Lizzie.

"Katherine De Bourg did lots of work here when I first moved in," said Collins happily, "She sent over her personal interior designer. I am so grateful."

It was obvious that the house had been decorated by a professional, although Lizzie had to admit to herself that it was not her taste. It was high end, but it all made the house feel a little impersonal. Maybe it was Lizzie's humble upbringing but she couldn't stand the thought of a home that didn't feel like a home.

It was Charlotte's house, though, not her own, so she kept her opinions to herself.

"It's lovely," she said once again to Charlotte who was making them all tea.

"You drink tea now?"

"Yes, Katherine insists that everyone should drink tea," said Collins, "She said it's the healthiest choice."

"You've always been a coffee drinker," said Lizzie looking at Charlotte who smiled.

"I know," admitted Charlotte, "But I've made the change and I think it's good for me."

"Well, I'm still going to drink coffee," said Lizzie adamantly, "Sorry."

"Don't worry," said Charlotte, "I kept our coffee maker simply because I knew you would be unhappy if I didn't."

"So, we're going to have dinner over at Katherine's De Bourg's tonight," said Collins, "6:00 sharp and I hope you brought something better to wear, Lizzie," he said taking a look at Lizzie's choice of jeans and a sweater.

"Yes," said Lizzie smiling at Collins worried face, "Charlotte informed that you guys eat over there sometimes so I brought some nicer things."

"Good," he said giving Charlotte a kiss, "I'm going to work in my garden now. It'll give you ladies time to catch up."

And off he went and Lizzie looked at Charlotte who was putting away the tea things and she started a pot of coffee.

"You really don't drink coffee anymore?"

"No," said Charlotte, "I think it makes him happy that we're doing something along with Katherine De Bourg."

"Let me ask you something, do you guys ever just call her Katherine?"

"No. Never!"

"Why?"

"Because…she's like royalty. You'll know when you meet her, Lizzie. She's insanely intimidating," said Charlotte laugh laughing, half serious tone.

"I guess I'll maybe understand tonight," said Lizzie.

They both found a place on the couch near Collins' and Charlotte's fireplace and they talked for a long time. Charlotte was happy to hear that Jane was doing much better and she also asked about the hospital.  
Lizzie in turn, asked about Charlotte's life and finally, she asked the question she had been dying to ask Charlotte.

"So…are you happy?"

Charlotte considered while turning her spoon in her teacup and replied confidently. "Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes. I love feeling like I'm in control of my life. Plus, I love being able to run my own house. It's so much fun, Lizzie."

"I'm sure it is. I know I look forward to having my own house someday."

"Yeah, I never pictured a town house when I was picturing it, but now I love living in the city. There's so much to do and it has so much energy," said Charlotte.

"I don't know what I picture for myself," said Lizzie honestly.

They looked out the window together where Collins was in his garden. He looked a little ridiculous in his outfit choice. Overalls and a straw hat that made him look like a farmer but he had the biggest smile on his face.

"He goes out there every day for hours," said Charlotte, "He just loves it."

"Every day? Wow."

"Yeah, I've encouraged him in it. It gets him some much-needed sun, and he often brings fresh vegetables to Katherine De Bourg. I think he likes being able to give her something."

"Yeah." Lizzie kept her face impassive, but she couldn't help but feel for her friend. Charlotte said she was happy, but Lizzie was sure that most of her happiness was in spite of, not because of, the man that had brought her so far from home.

"He always has to bring her something which can get tiresome since we eat with her at least two or three times a week," said Charlotte.

"Why so often?"

"I'm not sure…it makes him happy so why wouldn't we? Plus, we get to either go to her house—which is incredible—or we get to go to the best restaurants in New York for free," said Charlotte happily.

"I guess…but that is a little extreme," said Lizzie, "Come on, you have to admit that."

"Maybe, but we'll be going quite a bit this week," said Charlotte, "I told her you were coming and she was anxious to meet you."

"Great," said Lizzie sarcastically, but in all honestly, she was just as curious to meet the "great Katherine De Bourg." Collins had obsessively talked about her enough that Lizzie felt as though she knew the woman. Yet, Charlotte thought she was intimidating; Lizzie would have to make her own assessment.

And that assessment would come soon as Katherine De Bourg had invited them all out for dinner. Charlotte and Lizzie lost track of time talking and catching up on each other's life, until Collins, terrified they would be late, shoved both Lizzie and Charlotte upstairs yelling for them to pick out something nice.

Lizzie, in her guest room, debated between the dresses she had brought. She finally just picked one, because truly, what did it matter? She did decide to wear her hair down and straightened along with a little more makeup that she normally would wear.

"Wow. You look amazing. That red dress is really bringing out your eyes," said Charlotte as Lizzie walked out.

"Thanks. I thought an evening out in New York called for added effort," said Lizzie spinning, "Plus, I get to meet the famous Katherine De Bourg."

"Right you are, Lizzie," said Collins who appeared out of nowhere, "She will appreciate the effort you make but she also would be just fine if you had not put in the effort. Katherine De Bourg is too superior to judge based on physical appearance."

"Thank you, Collins," said Lizzie nodding, "That is a great comfort." In her heart, she was being sarcastic, but, to be kind to Charlotte, she let none of it show.

All three of them were soon in a cab and Collins kept going on and on about the proper way to behave. Manners, appropriate topics, or simply her personal history which was impressive. Katherine De Bourg was English by birth which meant that Darcy's mom had been English. Wickham had never mentioned this fact. Katherine and her sister had both graduated law school, where they met both of their husbands. Unfortunately for Katherine, right after her daughter was born, her husband died. But it did not stop her from starting her own lawyer empire with her sister and brother in law.

It was an impressive tale, but Lizzie already had a pre-existing opinion and it was simply based on the fact that she was Darcy's aunt. Lizzie would try to give her the benefit of the doubt, though. Charlotte did say that Katherine had been extremely generous towards them.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Lizzie was extremely grateful that she had put in some effort because everyone else here clearly was rolling in money. Their clothes were clue enough and Lizzie for the first time felt extremely intimidated.

Entering the restaurant, they were treated like kings and queens and Lizzie felt even more out of place.

"We're with Miss De Bourg," said Collins loudly puffing out his chest. Clearly, he wanted other people to know that very fact.

"Right this way, sir," said the manager, who had stepped forward the minute Collins had dropped the name.

"Get used to the treatment," whispered Charlotte as they followed Collins and the manager, "It's one of the perks of knowing her."

"Ah," said Lizzie.

They were led into a back room and the minute they walked in, Lizzie let out a deep breath.

Katherine De Bourg was sitting at the head of the table and she looked like had stepped of the cover of some magazine.

Everything about her appearance oozed wealth. Her hair, which was up, was perfect—down to the last strand. Her clothes, while being fancy, were also business like which convened her employment perfectly. Her eyes. Well, the minute, they laid on Lizzie, Lizzie knew what Charlotte had meant. Insanely intimidating.

Two men also stood in the room, away from the table, but clearly taking in all that went on.

"Are they," she started to ask Charlotte and Charlotte finished for her. "Security guards. Yes. She never goes anywhere without them."

Collins walked forward eagerly and greeted Katherine by shaking her hand vigorously.

"Miss De Bourg," he said, "Thank you so much for the invitation."

She nodded and turned to Charlotte, "My goodness, Charlotte. Come here and let me shake your hand."

Charlotte obediently followed, and Lizzie slowly followed, maintaining her distance.

"Miss De Bourg," Charlotte said, "Thanks again."

"Yes. Did you get my painting I sent," said Katherine snapping her fingers where a waiter filled up her glass.

"We did. Thank you so much."

"It will look perfect above your mantle. I suggest you put it there," said Miss De Bourg firmly.

"The minute we are home, I'll get on it," said Collins, but Miss De Bourg shook her head.

"No. I remember the last time you held a hammer. Not good. Call someone to do it."

"Yes. That would be best," said Collins nodding and agreeing.

"And this must be your friend," said Katherine De Bourg looking Lizzie up and down. Lizzie stepped forward to Charlotte's side.

"Yes," said Charlotte taking Lizzie's arm, "Miss De Bourg, this is Lizzie Bennet. One of my dearest friends. Lizzie, this is Miss De Bourg."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," said Lizzie smiling.

Miss De Bourg simply nodded and then added, "Well, let's sit. No need to stand on ceremony. Collins, you sit here on my right. Charlotte, on my left and Miss Bennet can join you."

They went to their assigned places and just as they were sitting a woman joined them who turned out to be Miss De Bourg's assistant. Charlotte and Collins both knew her and she took a seat next to Collins.  
They were each given a menu which took Lizzie a long time to read because she had to decode every dish because she hadn't heard of half of it. Charlotte was a god send and would whisper what things were when Miss De Bourg was occupied by Collins.

"So, Miss Bennet," she said suddenly to Lizzie who turned towards her. Now that Lizzie was up close, she could see Miss De Bourg more clearly. And to be honest, she was just a person. She might be an intense person, just based on Lizzie's first impression but there was no reason to be scared.

"Where did you grow up?" Catherine asked this still reading through the menu.

"A suburb of Chicago," said Lizzie pleasantly.

"What do your parents do?"

"My father is a high school teacher and my mom is a secretary," said Lizzie and Katherine raised her eyebrows at this.

"And you're a nurse?"

"Yes."

Miss De Bourg considered this and then moved on to asking Collins about some work he was doing so Lizzie went back to her menu.

"You said there would be seven, Miss De Bourg," said the manager leaning down to her.

"Yes, but I assume they are simply late," she said shaking her head, "One of them is notoriously late. His mother didn't teach him good time management."

"Who is joining us?" Collins asked, but as soon as Miss De Bourg opened her mouth, the door to their private room opened.

A man Lizzie didn't recognize came through the door smiling and Katherine greeted him immediately. "Fitz. You are late."

"I know aunt," he said smiling and walking around the table to her where he kissed her cheek, "I am sorry. But, while I'm home, it's nice to do things at my own pace. Besides, he's the one who insisted on changing again," said Fitz gesturing towards the door.

Lizzie turned back towards the door to their private room and she immediately looked away. Dr. William Darcy was standing in the doorway.


	14. Chapter 14

Lizzie couldn't breathe. How was it possible that Dr. William Darcy would be joining them?

"Darcy? What happened?" Katherine's voice broke Lizzie's daze as Darcy, like Fitz, marched to his aunt and kissed her cheek and answered her question. "I was on time aunt as per usual. Fitz is to blame."

"You couldn't just take one hit once," said Fitz smiling and giving Darcy a playful shove and smile.

Darcy rolled his eyes and then he looked at Lizzie, who looked away. She blushed having been caught staring at him. What was he thinking? Why was he here?

"Allow me in introduce two of my nephews. Dr. William Darcy, he's a surgeon," said Katherine proudly, "And Jonathan Fitzwilliam, he's in the army." She said the last part with markedly less enthusiasm, making it no secret which nephew's occupation she was more proud to state.

"A captain to be exact," said Fitz proudly.

"The Collins, you know," said Katherine ignoring Fitz's statement, "Along with my assistant. And that's Charlotte's friend, Lizzie."

"Yes, they know each other," said Charlotte happily nodding at Katherine De Bourg.

Katherine De Bourg turned to look at Lizzie and spoke sharply, "You know my nephews?"

"Just the one," said Lizzie, nodding towards Darcy but avoiding his eyes, "I worked with him in Chicago. Charlotte and I both did," Lizzie added quickly not sure why Katherine De Bourg was now giving her a cold, calculating look.

"That's right," said Katherine after a moment of studying Lizzie, "Well, both of you boys take your seats, we need to order," said Katherine waving both of her nephews away.

Lizzie hoped Darcy would sit on the other end of the table but he made his way to the seat next to her. Lizzie inwardly groaned. Could this get any more awkward? She hadn't talked to him in weeks.

"Nice to see you," he said quietly taking a seat.

"You too," Lizzie said concentrating determinedly on her menu.

The conversation at the table soon became very active, with Katherine De Bourg monopolizing most of the conversation. Lizzie, still in shock at Darcy's appearance, said very little and Darcy didn't seem too eager to talk either. How was it possible that he showed up here? Lizzie began to wonder if Bingley was around. If he was, maybe she could talk to him about Jane?

"How are Charles and Caroline?" Lizzie thought that was safe enough to ask him.

"They are good. I haven't seen Charles in a bit. He's been busy working on his research."

"Good," said Lizzie and once again she drew a blank. She simply did not know how to talk to him.

"How's your family?" he said talking quietly and Lizzie was sure it was so Katherine De Bourg couldn't hear them.

"Just fine, thank you."

Darcy opened his mouth to say something else, but at that moment Fitz leaned forward to ask Darcy about the different food. So, silence once again, but Lizzie decided to focus her attention on the menu. Picking food at this place was impossible. All she wanted was a burger. A simple burger.

"Miss Bennet?" Katherine De Bourg addressed her once again randomly and everyone at the table fell silent. Lizzie couldn't understand why every time Miss De Bourg opened her mouth, everyone felt the need to stop what they were doing to listen. It was annoying.

"Charlotte tells me you have sisters," said Miss De Bourg, "How many exactly?"

"I am the second of five sisters," said Lizzie taking a drink of her water, "So, four."

"Goodness, your nanny must have felt overwhelmed."

"We never had a nanny," said Lizzie confidently and Miss De Bourg dropped her fork.

"Five children…five girls…and no nanny?"

"Yes," said Lizzie calmly. This wasn't that unusual for Lizzie's circle but the look Katherine De Bourg was giving her implied she had never heard of it.

"I'm curious of the ages, what are the ages of your family?"

"My eldest sister will turn 26 soon and my youngest sister is 15," said Lizzie.

"Oh, so your mother stayed home?" said Katherine De Bourg with a knowing, superior grin on her face.

"Yes, my mother stayed home," said Lizzie and Miss De Bourg gave such a scowl that Lizzie almost laughed. Goodness, being a lawyer, one would think she could conceal her feelings more.

"SO, she's just a mother," she said bluntly.

"I," stammered Lizzie, never hearing anyone be so condescending, "She stayed home with us. So, yes, she was a mother." Lizzie frowned and felt annoyed as soon as Katherine De Bourg grinned uncontrollably.

"Some women still don't have the ability to work hard in today's society," said Katherine De Bourg to the rest of the table, "They stay at home with their children which makes their life easier."

"I disagree," said Lizzie, loudly interrupting.

"What?" Katherine De Bourg's face was like a lion who had just been challenged.

"I said I disagree," said Lizzie calmly and unafraid, "I don't think I agree with you. Times have changed and many women are working. BUT just because a woman chooses to stay home is not because she is afraid of work. Staying home and taking care of children is not an easy job. If you don't believe me, then you can try and take care of five children for a week."

The table was silent except for Collins who was breathing heavily as though he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"I think you are very young to be giving such an opinion," said Mrs. De Bourg with a superior smile, "What is your age?"

"Well, you know I'm older than 15 and younger than 26," said Lizzie smiling.

"Miss Bennet, you can't be over 25, and so have no need to hide your age yet."

"I'll be 25 in the summer," said Lizzie.

Mrs. De Bourg studied Lizzie for a moment. Her eyebrows were up so far they were in danger of becoming part of her hair line but she finally turned and began attacking/addressing someone else. Lizzie stayed quiet the rest of the meal and Katherine De Bourg did not address her again, which was good, because Lizzie feared Collins would throw himself over the table at her in an attempt to silence her.

As they were leaving, Fitz stopped and gave her a fist bump. "Never seen someone stand up to my aunt quite like that. Except in court. And even they looked scared."

"Thanks. I don't see any reason to not state my opinion," said Lizzie shrugging, "I didn't necessarily think I was standing up to her."

"Trust me. No one states their opinion if it's different than hers," said Fitz, "Except maybe for me but…look at what that gets me. I'm the less favorite nephew," he said gesturing towards Darcy who was helping his aunt with her coat.

"Ah," said Lizzie, "It was nice to meet you, Fitz," she said shaking his hand.

"I'm guessing we'll see more of each other, dinner tomorrow night," he said.

"What?"

"Yeah, my aunt already invited you guys tomorrow night and Collins agreed. Only this time, you'll be in her house which is considered a great honor," he said slightly chuckling.

"Great," said Lizzie, "And I was hoping to see some of the sights," said Lizzie sadly.

"Her house is a sight," said Fitz.

"I'm sure it is, I just mean I wanted to see some of New York," said Lizzie.

"New York does have lots of attractions," said Darcy who had just joined them.

"Speaks the native," said Fitz warmly.

"You grew up here?" Lizzie asked this before she could stop herself.

"Sort of," he said shrugging, "I spent more time outside the city than in it."

So Wickham was a New York native. He hadn't mentioned that, and he certainly hadn't given off the New York vibe.

"Lizzie," called Charlotte calling to her and Lizzie waved to both men as she left with Collins and Charlotte.

The ride home was not fun. Collins kept attempting to throw in comments about how one should act in front of Katherine De Bourg, but Lizzie refused to bite at any comment despite his efforts in trying to get her to engage.

Lizzie did her own thing the next day in light of both Collins and Charlotte having to work. She explored the house more and then finally, she walked down some of the streets of New York. She didn't go far knowing it was possible she could get lost but she did find a cute café in which she treated herself to coffee and lunch.

Later after lunch, she found a bookstore in which she spent a great deal of time. She left with a new book in hand and was content the rest of the afternoon till she heard someone unlocking the front door. Charlotte opened the door and Lizzie smiled from her perch on the couch wrapped in a blanket. The smile quickly faded when Lizzie saw Darcy accompanying Charlotte through the door.

"Hi," said Charlotte, "How was your day?" Charlotte didn't even acknowledge Darcy's presence as she took off her coat and hung it up.

"It was great," said Lizzie now pulling her covers and book closer to her while avoiding looking at the door where she knew Darcy was still standing.

"I see you found a book," said Charlotte, "I didn't think we owned any you would be interested in."

"You don't," agreed Lizzie, "I found this at a bookstore."

"Which one?" Darcy was attempting to read the title turning his head a weird angle and leaning forward slightly.

"It was just a small bookstore that was next to a café a few blocks from here," said Lizzie purposefully holding the book at an angle where Darcy couldn't read the title.

"I saw Darcy at the hospital," explained Charlotte, "And I was talking about the new painting Miss De Bourg got us. He offered to put it up for us. Isn't that so nice?"

"Great," said Lizzie smiling. So that was why he was here.

"Here it is, doctor," said Charlotte carrying a painting that was entirely too big for her. Darcy quickly took it from her and walked it over into the living room and laid it against the coffee table. Lizzie could now see the painting and well…it was also interesting.

Lizzie leaned forward to look at it closely. It was art of some kind. Truly, that was all she could decipher. Modern art had always been confusing to her. She preferred art that had some history to it.

Charlotte, who seemed to like the painting explained to Darcy exactly how she wanted it hung and he listened silently while nodding.

"Does Collins have any tools?"

Lizzie wanted to snort at this but she held it in. The thought of Collins working with tools was somehow laughable.

When Charlotte replied that she wasn't sure all of what they had, Darcy disappeared out to his vehicle where he returned within a couple of seconds, much to Lizzie's surprise, with a toolbox. As he opened it, it was obvious he knew exactly what he was doing.

"I'm just going to run quick to the market down the street," said Charlotte. Lizzie, horrified at the thought of being alone with Darcy started to get up, which was difficult because she had wrapped the blanket around her tightly.

Charlotte, however, was out the door so fast that Lizzie only had time to stand before the door closed behind her. Darcy didn't appear to notice, he was now messing with the back of the painting without saying much. Lizzie tried to return to her book, but she just couldn't stand the awkward silence.

"I didn't picture you to be the tool kind of guy," she said sharply.

"And the fact that I'm a surgeon who uses tools every day didn't come to mind," said Darcy mockingly while smiling.

"Those are different. Fine, let me change my original statement. I didn't picture you as handy."

"I guess I can see that," he said still focusing on his work, "But then again, you don't actually know that much about me."

The statement was valid but then again, Lizzie knew all she wanted to know.

"So who taught you? Your dad?"

"No," said Darcy laughing, "Not even a little. My dad was a fantastic lawyer but he was incompetent when it came to working with his hands or tools."

"So, how did you learn?"

"I grew up being interested in taking things apart and putting them back together," said Darcy looking at her for the first time, "Legos were my favorite toy for the majority of my life. I also enjoyed learning how things worked. So, I would take apart old things like radios or computers to discover how they worked, and would put them back together when I was done."

"Hence, you are now a surgeon," said Lizzie.

"It was helpful," said Darcy nodding, "I had no problem with spending the time working in med school. Others had problems adjusting to standing, sorting, and working for that long. It came much more naturally to me."

"Also explains your hand skills in medicine. If you grew up taking things like computers apart, you already were teaching your hands similar skills you would need."

"I guess so," Said Darcy once again in his tool box, "But I truly had no idea of the benefits at the time."

"I still don't see how that makes you handy," said Lizzie, "You wouldn't be using a hammer for those type of things."

"True," said Darcy, "My handy days didn't come until college. Charles and I traveled abroad. We did several trips to Africa. Mostly, it was medical trips but we also helped build several homes when we were there. Charles and I both learned quickly."

"Wow," said Lizzie impressed against her will, "That must have been amazing. Building homes for people…I wish I could have done that in college."

"It was pretty spectacular," said Darcy. "Do you mind actually giving me hand with this? I just need you to help me measure."

"Sure."

After a few minutes of simple work, the painting as hung and they both looked at it studying it.

"It's…an interesting painting," said Darcy in a weird voice. They looked at each other and both cracked a grin.

"It's awful," said Lizzie cracking up, "I don't even know what it's supposed to be."

"It almost looks like a hotdog wearing a sombrero," said Darcy laughing along.

"I didn't even see that…and now I can't un-see it," said Lizzie, shaking her head and taking a seat once again on the couch.

"I'm pretty sure my aunt probably bid on it to appease a client even though she hated it…then she gave it as a gift to them."

"Well, it was smart of her to not keep it herself," said Lizzie returning to her book.

"Speaking of my aunt, I was impressed at dinner last night," said Darcy turning towards her.

"Why, because I stated my opinion?" asked Lizzie. "That seems to be a rare occurrence around her."

"Most people lose their nerve in front of my aunt," said Darcy, "She can be…"

"Intimidating," finished Lizzie, "And trust me. I felt it at first but she's a person just like anybody else."

Darcy started to put his tools away and it was quiet once again. Lizzie pretended she was reading but really, she was deep in thought. Darcy was so confusing. At times, he was the most arrogant man she had ever met, and then they were moments like this where he actually seemed like he was a decent guy.

"Lizzie," he said suddenly interrupting her thoughts. Lizzie felt her cheeks turn red. She knew he couldn't read her mind, but imagining his reaction if he could embarrassed her.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Umm," he started but didn't quite finish. When Lizzie looked at him, he was fidgeting while still seemingly looking for the right word. She rarely got to see a nervous Darcy. It was quite entertaining but it did not last long.

"I'm back," said Charlotte coming through the door, "Wow. You got the painting done. It looks so good." Charlotte continued into the kitchen where she started putting groceries away.

"Yeah, it looks great," called Lizzie, completely lying through her teeth, and she turned back towards Darcy who was watching Charlotte, "So, what did you need?"

"What?" His nervousness was gone and his stone face had returned.

"You said my name….and it looked like you were going to say something else," said Lizzie trying to explain to him.

"Oh, no. I was just going to say goodbye," he said, turning towards the door, "I'll see you guys tonight," and he was out the door without another word or glance in their directions.

"That was odd," said Charlotte accusingly, "What did you say to him? Where you mean?"

"No," said Lizzie, "We actually had a decent conversation. I'm not sure what's wrong with him."

Dinner at Katherine De Bourg's came sooner than Lizzie wanted. Once again, she attempted to look decent but found herself lacking a bit of motivation.

Her house was impressive and Lizzie knew most likely that she would never be in such a nice house again. A maid escorted them to the rest of the party and Lizzie held her breath as they entered.

As they entered the room, Lizzie realized that everything in the room was centered towards the chair in the middle of the room that Katherine De Bourg sat in. Almost like a throne. Lizzie supposed that was intentional as Katherine insisted in complete control. She noticed Fitz and Darcy also sitting with drinks in their hands. Fitz gave her a friendly wave and Lizzie returned a friendly smile.

"Good evening," said Miss De Bourg motioning them all in, "Welcome to my home, Miss Bennet."

"Thank you," said Lizzie taking a seat next to Fitz on the couch, "Your home is beautiful.

"I know," said Miss De Bourg nodding, "I wish I spent all my time here, but it is some distance from the office so I spend much of my time in my city apartment."

"Makes sense," said Lizzie, but really she had no notion of having more than one home she could stay in, except for her parents' home.

The conversation turned to dull things that all people feel like they need to talk about such as weather, work, and health.

Lizzie blocked out most of it. Her mind was currently somewhere else. Her eyes were exploring the room which was fascinating to her eyes. It was clear that Katherine De Bourg had an eye for old beautiful things despite her sometimes suspect choice in art. Lizzie was dying to run her hands across many of the furnishings but somehow, she thought everyone would find this laughable.

Darcy and Fitz too said little if anything. They seemed lost in their own thoughts. Lizzie often met Darcy's eyes as she explored the room. He sat opposite of her and he too seemed bored. Fitz was on his phone which he conveniently hid right out of Katherine's line of sight.

Soon, another maid, different than the one at the door, announced dinner. Katherine De Bourg stood first and she motioned for Darcy to take her arm which he did. They stepped out first in which Collins and Charlotte followed. Fitz offered his arm and Lizzie took it.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her as they walked to the dining room.

"Why?"

"You got stuck with me…which means you're third string, seeing as we were third to leave the room and the last to be seated at dinner," he said leaning towards her while keeping his eyes on his aunt's back.

"Is that a real thing?"

"Who knows," said Fitz grinning, "But it is definitely a real thing that Darcy is her favorite," said Fitz nodding towards them.

"Even though he never became a lawyer," whispered a teasing Lizzie.

"Oh, if only you had been here the day that whole ordeal happened," said Fitz raising his eyebrows and groaning, "She forgave him after a while but it took some time for her to recover."

They both chuckled quietly but quickly changed their faces as they took their seats. Once again, to Lizzie's dismay, she was far away from Charlotte and across from Darcy. Fitz, however, was next to her which did give Lizzie some relief.

Dinner was quiet but it was delicious so Lizzie ate happily without being miserable. Fitz now and then made a funny comment that only the two of them could hear which would cause slight laughter to which Katherine De Bourg would scowl in their direction.

Finally, when it was over, Fitz once again took her arm and Lizzie whispered to him, "Does she hate laughter?"

"Only if someone else caused the laughter, "he said seriously, "You've noticed how much of a control freak she is…"

"Fitz!"

Fitz and Lizzie jumped as Katherine De Bourg beckoned. "Fitz! Take my arm. Darcy will take Miss Bennet's!"

"And I'm about to get scolded," Fitz whispered silently giving Lizzie a wink and taking his aunt in which they departed first. Once again, Collins and Charlotte followed.

Darcy appeared at Lizzie's side and held out his arm to which Lizzie took.

"Sorry, my aunt can be…" he began also watching his aunt as Fitz had done.

"Controlling," said Lizzie, "Don't sweat it. I'm used to controlling people," said Lizzie giving him a jab which he didn't seem to catch.

They went to yet another large and glamorous room that took Lizzie's breath away. Lizzie purposefully did not sit this time as she was anxious to look around. She did not pay attention to the conversation once until Katherine De Bourg barked her name as she did everyone.

"Miss Bennet!"

"Yes, "said Lizzie flipping around quickly for Katherine's voice had a way of making you feel like you had been caught doing something wrong.

"Do you play the piano at all?"

"No. Well, I did. A long time ago. It's been some time since I've played," said Lizzie rambling.

"Music should never be dropped. I wish my parents had had the good sense to put me in when I was younger. Your parents mistake was letting you quit."

"My sister, Mary, is the pianist of the family," said Lizzie quickly, "There is only so much room for musicians in a family," she said trying to make a joke but Katherine De Bourg only raised her eyebrows and the rest of the room remained silent.

"You should play now," said Katherine De Bourg taking a drink out of her cup.

"What?"

"Yes, play for us now. I love hearing music," said Katherine De Bourg smiling, "It is my joy."

"Mrs. De Bourg, I'm not lying to you, it has been a long time and I was never very talented," said Lizzie, but Collins immediately jumped out of his seat.

"Come, Lizzie. Mrs. De Bourg wishes you to play. So play!"

Lizzie, horrified, looked at Charlotte who looked rather uncomfortable but she said nothing. Lizzie, annoyed, drew in a deep breath and went to the piano. Thank goodness, she had a song memorized but it still had been a very long time.

She was about to start when Fitz joined her by the piano. "Don't worry," he whispered, "Just play something and she'll ignore you again."

Following his advice, she began and was relieved when he was correct. Fitz soon joined her on the bench and be played a bit giving Lizzie a break. His skill level was above hers which was surprising to her.

"You must have grown up playing," said Lizzie.

"I did," he said nodding, "But with Georgie in the family, everyone else looks like an awkward ape playing."

"Darcy's sister?"

"Yes, she is incredible."

Darcy soon appeared next to the piano but he said nothing so Lizzie feeling a bit brave decided to test the waters a little.

"Are you trying to intimidate me, doctor?"

"No, I simply wandered over to where I felt more comfortable," he said.

"Ah, uncomfortable in social situations," said Lizzie sarcastically, "How surprising."

"That's right, you two worked together," said Fitz, "How was it, Lizzie? What was my cousin like in Chicago?"

"I'm not sure you want to know," said Lizzie happily as she played the piano not meeting Darcy's eyes even though she knew they were focused on her.

"Oh, I want to know," said Fitz slowly sounding out every syllable.

Lizzie stopped playing and turned towards Fitz. "Well, considering the first time I met him was at a party where he stood in the corner and sulked the whole time, I'm not sure I'm the best judge."

"Sulked in the corner? Come on, Will. Is that really what happened?"

"I knew no one there," said Will quickly which made Lizzie laugh.

"I remember being introduced to you," said Lizzie smugly, "You made such a good first impression. Do you remember Dr. Darcy?"

Lizzie, was of course, referring to Darcy calling her average and she wondered if he remembered. She looked up meet the eyes of the man she was currently attempting to embarrass. And considering the way Darcy's eyes narrowed, Lizzie knew he recalled exactly what she was referring. She waited for his response as Fitz's eyes traveled between the two of them.

"Sheez," said Fitz, "It must have been a pretty good moment considering the look both of you have on your faces."

"It was," said Lizzie attempting to play the piano once more but Darcy quickly spoke up.

"I'm not good at talking to people that I have just met," he said.

"Should we ask him why?" said Lizzie to Fitz who was grinning along with her, "He has lived a life that is full of education and social occasions that would be ideal places for him to socialize. So, why then is he not good at introducing himself to strangers?" At the end of the statement, both Fitz and Lizzie looked to Darcy with questioning glances.

"I," he began but then took a moment to think, "I do not have…that talent…of getting to know people easily. It has always been a struggle since I was a boy."

"Fair enough," said Lizzie enjoying herself way too much, "But, I would point out that I do not play this instrument as well as I would like too. But, I know that is my own fault because I would not take the time to practice."

"You're absolutely correct," said Darcy giving her a smile.

"Wow. I believe that's a compliment from Darcy," said Fitz laughing, "You should take it," he added to Lizzie.

"I'll take it as a victory," said Lizzie happily.

"Although, I do find it funny that you're lecturing me on being social," said Darcy.

"Why is that funny?"

Darcy shrugged, "I have my reasons."

"Well, please share," said Lizzie giving him a hard look. What could Darcy possible have to say?

"Neither one of us perform well with strangers," said Darcy meeting her eyes.

Lizzie's attempt to reply was cut off by Katherine De Bourg's booming voice. "What are you three talking about? Come, join the rest of us, and leave the piano be!"


	15. Chapter 15

The rest of the week was fairly uneventful. Lizzie and Charlotte managed to go sightseeing in-between their social engagements, most of which included one or both of the nephews, and many which also included the eminent lawyer herself. Lizzie had mustered up the courage to ask more about Charles, but Darcy gave her very little information which forced her to quit asking. She didn't want him to read in between the lines thinking the interrogation was coming from Jane. In fact, Lizzie had not even mentioned Darcy to Jane. She didn't want to get Jane's hopes up.

Plus, her interactions with Darcy had been a little odd, even more so than usual. Often, he seemed his normal arrogant self, but at other times he was extremely friendly. He had personally offered to show Lizzie and Charlotte around New York, but Lizzie had quickly avoided this by announcing they already had plans.

One day when she was at the bookstore near Charlotte and Collin's home, he had shown up there too. She had tried to hide but he spotted her immediately. They talked for a few awkward minutes, but thankfully Lizzie's phone rang which gave her the perfect excuse to leave.

The day before Lizzie was due to return to Chicago, both Charlotte and Lizzie were walking into the hospital where Charlotte worked. Charlotte had asked off work to spend the day with Lizzie and she had a whole day of fun planned. But, the good nurse she was, Charlotte had a few things she wanted to check on first.

Waiting patiently, Lizzie was soon interrupted by a friendly voice.

"Hey," said Fitz coming towards her and smiling. Fitz had become a quick friend for Lizzie. They both shared a similar sense of humor and to be honest, he was the only reason Lizzie had managed Katherine De Bourg without getting irritated.

"Hi," Lizzie said, "What are you doing here?"

"Dropping something off for Darcy," he said shrugging, "But I have been here under different circumstances before."

"Ah, let me guess. Some stupid stunt that got you injured," joked Lizzie.

"Yes. And actually, the girl I was trying to impress was quite beautiful," he said, grinning.

"I'm sure," laughed Lizzie.

"You leave tomorrow, right?"

"Yes."

"Sadness, I've enjoyed your company."

"I've enjoyed yours too," said Lizzie, "If you're ever in Chicago, you should give me a call. I'd be happy to show you around."

"Thanks. But my next deployment is going to be a long one so I don't know when that would be," he said.

"I understand."

"Want some coffee? My treat."

"Ah, yeah!"

They walked to the cafeteria together and Lizzie was warmed by Fitz's optimistic personality. He was such a great guy, and Lizzie was instantly reminded of Charles Bingley. That made two close friends of Darcy that had similar characteristics, but were the complete opposite of Darcy himself.

"So, I have to ask you something," said Lizzie as Fitz added cream to his coffee.

"Shoot," he said taking a seat at a table.

"I know you and Darcy are cousins but…are you actually friends?"

Fitz let out a confused look, but he answered quickly. "Yes. We are friends."

"I just mean…like really good friends? Like would he still be your friend if he wasn't family?"

"Oh, okay. I get what you're asking," said Fitz taking a sip of coffee, "Yes. He would be."

"Really? You two are so different."

"True…and yet, not true."

"How is it not true?"

"See," said Fitz taking a deep breath, "I tease my cousin Darcy A LOT! But the truth of the matter is…there aren't many people who I respect more."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Like for instance, it was not a popular decision when I told my family I wanted to go into the army. They thought it was beneath me…so much so that some of my family threatened to disinherit me."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Katherine De Bourg was one of those people. She still, as you can tell, doesn't like the fact that I'm in the army. Thankfully, she didn't completely disinherit me, but she does make my life harder on purpose as a form of punishment."

"I just don't get it," said lizzie, "Why is serving your country beneath you?"

"Because they wanted me to be a lawyer, CEO, or even a doctor. Something that when people hear, they are impressed. No one gets that impressed when they hear you're career military."

"I do," said Lizzie quickly, "I think it's amazing."

"I appreciate that," said Fitz, "Cheers to you." And they both took a sip.

"SO, what does that have to do with Darcy?"

"He supported me. He was the one who convinced Katherine to not disinherit me."

"Of course he did. He knew he would need her to not disinherit him when he told her he wasn't going to be a lawyer," said Lizzie quickly but Fitz was shaking his head.

"This was after he told her that…he's the one who gave me the courage to speak up and tell them I wasn't going to college. Plus, he told me that he would pay for anything I needed in case I was disinherited."

"Really?"

"Yup. And without fail, he writes me letters every week when I'm deployed."

"Every week?" Lizzie didn't bother to hide the fact that was impressed.

"Yup, the fact that he takes time out of his crazy busy schedule to hand write me letters has always showed me that he truly cares. Darcy is just like that…he's not just family…he's a friend. And a good one," said Fitz giving Lizzie a long look.

Lizzie looked away and took a swig of coffee. Maybe Darcy was a good friend. That wasn't too surprising. Wickham had even mentioned that Darcy and he had used to be close. Lizzie guessed that the important thing was just not to get on his bad side.

"Maybe I just don't know him well enough," said Lizzie to Fitz who was watching her closely.

"You don't!"

"Maybe," said Lizzie shrugging.

"No, admit it!"

"I worked with him for a decent amount of time and he wasn't very pleasant, so forgive me if I don't see all the glamour qualities that you see," said Lizzie confidently.

"Fine. Get this then. Just a few weeks ago, he stopped another one of his friends from making a big mistake."

"I'm sure," said Lizzie sarcastically laughing and getting up from the table.

"No, I'm serious," said Fitz, "He saved his friend from getting married to a girl that was completely wrong for him."

Lizzie stopped dead in her tracks. She repeated Fitz's words slowly in her mind. He saved his friend from getting married. She heard Fitz stop suddenly behind her. She needed to act normal. Besides, maybe it wasn't what she thought. She started walking again and turned and smiled at him.

"Really?" She was careful to say this calmly and casually.

"Yeah, Darcy and this guy have been friends since college and Darcy has always looked out for him. They even went to medical school together."

"Yeah…," said Lizzie nervously tracing her fingers through her hair.

"The guy was going to propose to this girl…apparently she was all wrong for him. Darcy even said he wouldn't have been surprised if his friend's money had something to do with it."

"Really?" said Lizzie feeling a strike of anger, "Did he say anything else about the girl?"

"I'm not sure…I just know that Darcy had big objections to her," said Fitz as they walked.

"Why does he get to decide what's good enough for Charles?" said Lizzie, for the first time letting her emotions show a little.

Fitz stopped and turned to her and Lizzie fought hard to clear her face of any emotion.

"You think what he did was wrong?"

"I don't know…I just think it's not necessarily his place to tell his friend that this girl wasn't good enough for him," said Lizzie avoiding Fitz's eyes.

"I get that…but I guarantee you. She was bad news. Darcy wouldn't have bragged about it if she wasn't bad news," said Fitz chuckling slightly.

"Right," said Lizzie smiling as her stomach dropped. Bad news? Bragged about it? Lizzie curled her fists together and bit down her tongue.

"Darcy has always been there for all of us. He's discerning and has a good instinct. I trust his judgment."

"Uh huh," said Lizzie unable to say anything else. She suddenly felt very weak in the knees. So…it was Darcy who had convinced Charles to end it. Lizzie had known Charles would never have chosen to  
do that. And as luck would have, he hadn't. It was Darcy who had convinced him too.

"Lizzie, are you alright?"

"Yeah," said Lizzie snapping back into focus, "Who knows what really happened though," she said quickly, adding to the conversation, "Maybe there wasn't much affection in the first place."

"Maybe not," agreed Fitz, "It certainly lessens Darcy's accomplishment a bit though."

And that was all Lizzie could take. "I'm sorry, I need to use the restroom," she said, and she quickly ducked into the safety of the bathroom.

As soon as she was in a stall, Lizzie let a few tears lose that she had been holding in.

Jane. Her precious Jane's happiness that been ruined by him. That evil…man. What possible objections could he have had to Jane? Jane's only flaws were things that were out of her control. She came  
from a poor family. Considering Charles and Darcy's families, Lizzie knew this would bother Darcy. Plus, the Bennet's were not only poor…they were ridiculous.

Lizzie rubbed her temple. All she could think about were those first few nights were Jane had cried and cried. Jane had been emotionally destroyed when Charles broke up with her…and Lizzie was sure  
that Jane had a long road of recovery ahead, if she ever fully recovered.

Careful to only be in the bathroom for a few minutes, Lizzie walked out but her tears were noticed by Fitz.

"What's wrong?"

"Allergies," fibbed Lizzie, and she blew her nose to promote the story, "I've had some struggles since I got here. I'm not sure exactly what I'm allergic to here."

"Kind of upsetting you're getting them in a hospital," said Fitz frowning, but Lizzie could tell he was buying her act completely.

"Yeah, it's okay," Lizzie said quickly.

"There you are," said Charlotte from a distance and Lizzie let out a sigh of relief at the sight of her.

"Lizzie is having some problems with allergies," said Fitz to Charlotte.

"Allergies?" Charlotte said this with her eyebrows raised. She knew perfectly well that Lizzie did not have allergies.

"Yes. My allergies are acting up, just like that time in Toledo" said Lizzie quickly and Charlotte immediately understood.

"'Just like that time in Toledo' was Charlotte and Lizzie's verbal clue to just go along with whatever the other person was saying. It was their get out of jail card for each other and both of them had used it many times in the span of their friendship.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lizzie. Why don't we just go home and get you some medicine," said Charlotte affectionately and she took Lizzie's arm.

They both said goodbye to Fitz and Lizzie was both sorry and happy to see him go. He was a good friend, but at the moment, she couldn't stand to be near him.

Lizzie didn't have the heart to tell Charlotte exactly what was wrong, so Lizzie told her that she thought Fitz was hinting at asking her out, and she didn't want to deal with the awkwardness of rejecting him. It had the added benefit of convincing Charlotte to let her skip out on going to Katherine De Bourg's home that evening.

Lizzie, feeling slightly bad about lying to Charlotte, forgot about it that evening when she was left behind by Collins and Charlotte.

But, after a while, she realized maybe going would have been a better option. Here at the townhouse, she had nothing to distract her thoughts. All she could think about was her poor Jane.

How was Lizzie going to explain this to Jane?

She couldn't. How could she tell Jane that her relationship had been sabotaged by her boyfriend's best friend? That was the thing that kept blowing Lizzie's mind. How could Darcy separate his best friend from Jane? Didn't Darcy care about Charles at all?

It didn't matter. The real debate was whether she should tell Jane. Jane—whose heart had barely begun to mend—was by no means fully recovered and Lizzie was sure that the new information didn't change anything.

But…Lizzie wanted to talk to Jane more than anything. Without thinking, she pulled out her phone and typed in Jane's name. She hesitated when Jane's smiling face appeared and Lizzie's heart sunk.

No, she shouldn't call her. In calling her, all Lizzie would do would be to sink Jane into unhappiness. It was selfish for Lizzie to tell her. No, Lizzie would have to keep this to herself.

She put her phone back into her pocket, laid her head back down, and wrapped her arms around herself.

Lizzie didn't know how long she had been sitting there when she heard the doorbell ring. A little panicked, she scrambled to her feet. She peeked out into the hallway…she couldn't hear anything. Taking a deep breath, she slowly and silently crept down the stairs.

When she was near the front door, she tried to get a glimpse out the window. Disappointed she couldn't see who it was, Lizzie creeped toward the peephole in the front door.

As she inched closer, she kept crouched slightly so no one could see her if they tried looking in the window above the door. Right as she was about to look out the peephole, a number of things happened at once.

The doorbell rang, and because Lizzie had been so focused on quietly sneaking, it came as quite a shock. She let out a small screech jumping to the side. Her elbow collided with the table causing a vase to tumble. It seemed to fall in slow motion and Lizzie was able to grab it inches from hitting the floor.

Muttering to herself, she started to put the vase safety back on the table, but almost dropped it when she heard someone calling her name on the other side.

Not recognizing the voice, and being in an unfamiliar city in an unfamiliar house at night, Lizzie found herself wishing she had her baseball bat. Having nothing else, Lizzie kept holding the vase. She felt safer having something she could use as a weapon if needed.

She inched close to the door, and, with a deep breath, she opened the door.

"Darcy?"

"Hi, sorry," he said giving her a funny look as he observed the vase in her hand, "Why are you holding a vase?"

"Because I didn't have a bat," said Lizzie putting the vase back and folding her arms. Darcy was literally the last person she wanted to talk to right now. She would get him on his way quickly. "What do you want?" she said in a purposefully snippy voice.

"Uh, well. Fitz said you were having trouble with your allergies," he said calmly.

"Allergies?" Lizzie questioned and then she remembered her white lie, "Yes, I have allergies."

"What are you allergic too?"

Stink! Why was he asking so many questions? It's like he knew she was lying.

"What are you doing here?" she asked quickly to avoid answering his question.

She noticed as she asked this that Darcy became a bit stiffer and he looked at ground where he shifted his weight.

"How are you feeling? Your eyes look pretty red."

"Allergies," lied Lizzie as she wiped her eyes. Lizzie was certain that they had to be puffy from all the crying she had done, but she didn't want him to know she had been crying, "Look, is there a chance this can wait till later?"

"Are you still leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes," said Lizzie firmly giving him a hard look. Tomorrow could not come soon enough. Why was he prolonging this conversation?

"Then it can't wait," said Darcy and he stepped past her…straight into the house.

"What are you doing?" Lizzie asked and she kept holding the door open praying he would just leave.

"Can we sit?"

"Why?"

"I told you," he said, "I need to talk to you."

"And it has to be now?" whined Lizzie, not bothering to hide her frustration, "I have allergies," she pleaded hoping this lie would grant her some sympathy.

"I realize you're not feeling well, but this can't wait," he said, calmly taking a seat, "But I'll understand if you want to change out of your pajamas."

"What's wrong with my pajamas?" Lizzie's pajamas included grey sweat pants and an oversized black sweatshirt that belonged to her father. She had changed into this after the hospital for extra comfort.

"Nothing…I just thought you would be more comfortable if you changed," he said shrugging.

"Nope. I'm very comfortable. Plus, you interrupted me so I'm not putting myself out by changing," said Lizzie crossing her arms and frowning at him.

"Okay. That's fine. Would you please sit?" He gestured towards the couch that he was sitting on. No way! She was not sitting by him! Lizzie defiantly walked past him to the armchair and took a seat  
giving him the evil eye.

Once she sat, Lizzie purposefully stared him down until he looked away. In fact, now that Lizzie studied him, all she could see was nerves. He kept fidgeting and playing with the couch cushion and the fabric of his shirt. Plus, now he was avoiding her gaze, looking everywhere but at her. As she opened her mouth to say something else, he got up from the couch.

Lizzie watched him closely, completely unsure of what she was supposed to do. He had wanted to talk…so why wasn't he saying anything?

Lizzie waited for a few more minutes before she worked up the confidence to speak up. "Look Darcy-"

"Don't," he said raising a hand towards her, "This is hard enough without one of your snarky comments."

Snarky comments? Lizzie snorted and shrunk back in her chair and crossed her arms once again.

Finally, he stepped towards her and began to speak quietly. "This is not easy to do…you have no idea how much I've played this over in my head."

"Played what?"

"I don't know how to tell you…," he said shaking his head and he stayed that way for a few more minutes before finally facing her dead on, "I like you, Lizzie."

At that moment, nothing could he heard except the soft sounds of cars traffic in the street. Lizzie did not speak. Honestly, it was when of those times that did not often happen to her. She was speechless.

"I have been at war with myself over this," Darcy continued, "But I have to tell you how I feel. I thought you were out of my life forever, and then you showed up here, and I could not help but be thankful for it. You have been in my thoughts constantly no matter how hard I tried to push them away."

She could only stare at him with an expression of disbelief. Darcy, who stood before her, watched her with an intensity that she had seen many times before; usually when he was in surgeon mode.

"I fought these feelings because I know it is not a good idea. I am a surgeon. One of the best. You are a nurse. Qualified, yes, but still, just a nurse."

Lizzie narrowed her eyes at Darcy but still she remained quiet.

"My family comes from money and high standing for generations back, yours does not. Your family is, umm, well…it has several…characters. Yes, several characters, and that makes this less of a good idea for me."

Lizzie, who at first had blushed in embarrassment was now turning red for a completely different reason.

"In spite of all this, I am unable to ignore my feelings any more. I can't control them…and believe me that is not something I am accustomed to. So, I realize you're leaving tomorrow but…I truly believe we can work something out."

When he had finished, he was breathing heavily. Clearly, he was nervous. That much was clear. Lizzie frankly did not know what to say. She truly…hated this man even more now than she had before. He liked her? Yet, he had just insulted everything about her…

Still, as she looked at him, she could tell that his feelings were genuine. Jane's voice of kindness echoed through Lizzie's mind. Even if he did not deserve it, she would be polite.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice cracking at first, but she quickly cleared her throat, "I did not realize how you felt. I…only ever thought our relationship to be professional, and when we did hang out I assumed it was because you were Charles' friend. I hope I didn't give you the wrong idea…if I did. I apologize."

Darcy at first looked a little confused and taken back. He turned away from her and looked at the floor shaking his head slightly. Then, he abruptly turned back to her. "Is that it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is that," he said gesturing, "All the explanation, I get? Don't you at least have the decency to explain yourself?"

"Decency," said Lizzie a little irritated, "You are lecturing me on decency?"

"You just rejected me without any explanation," said Darcy shifting his weight.

"I gave you an explanation," said Lizzie looking at the floor biting her tongue. She was so close to losing her temper.

"Yeah, right," he said shaking his head in disbelief, "I can't believe this."

"What? What can't you believe?" Lizzie was challenging him. She knew that now. This was the tipping point for her.

"You're rejecting me?"

"Of course," said Lizzie, sarcastically swinging her arms, "Because who would reject the surgeon William Darcy. Who would reject a man who told me he liked me against his will."

"I just wanted-"

"And it didn't stop there," continued Lizzie cutting him off," You insulted my family, my financial situation, and my profession!"

They were both quiet after this comment…but Lizzie did not stop. She was going to have her say…she was going to get it all out.

"I have every reason in the world to reject you."

"What reasons could you possibly have?" Darcy said this with such arrogance that Lizzie almost leaped forward to slap him.

"Oh, I don't know," she said sarcastically, "What about ruining my sister's happiness?"

Darcy who had been fidgeting slightly the whole time suddenly froze in place and Lizzie enjoyed knowing that she had hit a sensitive point he had not anticipated her knowing.

"Do you deny it? Do you deny that you convinced Charles to break up with Jane?"

"No," he said quickly and without any emotion. Lizzie, shocked, had to consciously close her mouth, unable to believe the arrogance in his admission.

"I did everything I could to convince Charles to end it…and I'm happy I did," he said and then he muttered, "I wish I had been that smart for myself."

"What reason could you possibly have in separating them?"

"She wasn't as invested as him," said Darcy passionately, "I've known Charles a long time. And believe me, Jane isn't the first girl that he has been interested in. He is the type of guy that girls have taken advantage of…except this time, it was different, because he truly loved her…and I saw nothing on her side."

"What!?" said Lizzie shocked. He had gone too far.

"She didn't feel the same way. She rejected his proposal."

"She didn't reject him! She just asked if the proposal could wait!"

"No one who really wanted to get married would say that," said Darcy sounding out every syllable, "I knew then for sure that Charles was going to end up hurt. She was just stringing him along. Plus, after I found out she had been engaged before, that settled it for me."

"Yes, she's been engaged before…that's the whole point, you idiot," screamed Lizzie, "If you had actually taken the time to hear the whole story you might have understood. They got engaged. He moved away exactly like Charles was going to do. And you know what, her fiancé cheated on her!"

"So?"

"So, my sister did not want to spend the first few months of being engaged apart from him! But you know what, she changed her mind! The night that you convinced him to break it off…she was going to tell him YES!

For the very first time, Darcy suddenly was very quiet.

"You…you destroyed a happy couple…my sister was devastated. For someone who thinks she didn't care…try taking care of a sibling who can't even leave her bed for two weeks because she is completely heartbroken," said Lizzie shaking with rage.

"She never showed any of her feelings. I watched them," Darcy began, clearly looking for a way out but Lizzie would not let him.

"She's shy…when you have a fiancé that cheated on you. You get a little hesitant about these things…and you know what, she turned out to be right about being cautious because the great man I thought Charles was…he lost every bit of respect I had for him when he left her that night," said Lizzie.

"Hardly fair…and I still stand by my decision," said Darcy firmly.

"Really?" Lizzie was flabbergasted. How could any man stand by that decision? Fine, she needed to hit him harder.

"What about George Wickham?"

This question brought a whole change in Darcy's demeanor. He took a few steps towards her with an angry face that actually frightened Lizzie for a moment before she turned her chin up at him.

"How can you defend yourself against that?"

"Me? Defend myself against George Wickham," said Darcy shaking his head in disbelief.

"You destroyed his chances of doing what he wanted with his life," said Lizzie.

"I destroyed his chances…wow, he's gotten even better at spinning things," Darcy said now turning away and walking away from her.

"You betrayed one of your best friends," said Lizzie to his retreating back, "Actually, I take that back. You betrayed two. Wickham and Charles. Both, I believe you did because you are a selfish jerk who interferes in other people's business."

"And this…this is what you think of me," he said his hand on the doorknob giving her a stern look.

"OH no," said Lizzie walking towards him, "I've been generous. I think you're the lowest scum that exists on this planet. I will always remember you as the most proud, selfish, man I have ever met. Believe me DARCY, you are the last person I would ever want to be associated with."

For a moment, Darcy looked grave and Lizzie felt a moment of triumph, but his soft response unnerved her.

"You can stop now, Lizzie. I get it," he said, every trace of emotion gone from his face. "I'm sorry I took up your time. I hope you have a safe trip home. Please give my best to those at the hospital. I  
really did enjoy my time working there. It's an excellent staff."

He was out the door before Lizzie had a chance to respond.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Hardly remembering to make sure the door was securely closed, Lizzie retreated to her room with hot tears rolling down her face. How could he?! He was the worst man she had ever known! The obnoxious pride and audacity to suppose that he knew better than everyone else was enough to send a physical chill through Lizzie. Grabbing a blanket, she collapsed onto her bed to hide forever from the world.

Forever lasted a frustratingly short time. Less than 20 minutes had passed when Lizzie heard the front door open and Charlotte's voice calling for her. Lizzie didn't answer until Charlotte was at her door and Lizzie reluctantly removed her blanket. Charlotte immediately spotted Lizzie's tears and concern leapt to her eyes. "Lizzie! What's wrong?"

"Darcy was here," Lizzie whispered so silently she practically mouthed it.

"Darcy?"

Lizzie nodded as a few more tears fell down her face. Without another word, Charlotte walked out into the hallway and called out to Collins.

"Honey, Lizzie and I are going to get some coffee," Charlotte called motioning for Lizzie to follow her. Collins had already changed into his leisure wear. (Pajamas that looked like pantaloons.) He wished them a good time without looking up from his television. Charlotte pulled Lizzie out the door and they started walking down the street.

A few blocks away, they found a 24-hour coffee shop which made both of them breathe a sigh of relief.

"Great thing about New York," said Charlotte taking a sip of coffee when they found an empty booth, "City that never sleeps."

"I guess," said Lizzie, wiping her eyes and breathing in her coffee, "I thought you didn't drink coffee anymore."

"I'm betting this is going to be a coffee conversation."

Lizzie silently nodded agreeing. After a few minutes of drinking coffee and blowing her nose, Lizzie finally started talking. "He told me he liked me."

"Wow," said Charlotte eyebrows raised, "That must have been an interesting conversation. By your tears, I'm guessing it didn't go well."

"These tears have nothing to do with Darcy," said Lizzie passionately motioning to her reddened eyes, "These are all about Jane."

"What does Jane have to do with this?"

"Everything," said Lizzie gloomily, and she quickly relayed all the information that had started with Fitz and ended with Darcy. By the end, Charlotte's mouth was wide open in shock.

"Oh my goodness," she said slowly, "That's…wow."

"I know," said Lizzie taking a large swig, "He's literally the worst human being ever. I wish he would die."

"Come on, Lizzie," said Charlotte with a frown, "That's a little far."

"No! It's not! Plus, he then had the nerve to ask out the sister of the girl he ruined the happiness of…I can't even wrap my head around him asking me out. He's never even given me one idea that he was thinking that."

Charlotte snorted and took a drink of her coffee. Lizzie quickly narrowed her eyes at Charlotte.

"What's with the snort?"

"Just copying what you do when someone says something you think is ridiculous," said Charlotte, defending herself.

"What do you mean?"

"Lizzie," said Charlotte half laughing, half frustrated, "He has given you lots of hints."

"You knew?" Lizzie's voice broke halfway through saying the words and Charlotte looked slightly guilty.

"I had my suspicions."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I did!" said Charlotte, "But you always blew them off."

"I don't remember you ever saying Darcy had a crush on me," protested Lizzie adamantly, "I would have remembered that."

"Okay. Fine. I never outright said Darcy liked you but I did make hints towards it," said Charlotte. "Honesty, there were times when I thought," she hesitated, but continued, "I thought you liked him too."

"What?" sputtered Lizzie.

"Don't get mad, but you guys…always had this weird vibe. Cancel that, you guys had chemistry," said Charlotte, "You can't deny that!"

"What? No! I couldn't stand him!"

"There's a thin line between love and hate," said Charlotte smugly under her breath, but Lizzie caught her words.

"No," said Lizzie raising her hands passionately, "I never thought about him that way."

"Okay. Fine. So you don't like him…but he did try to hint at you."

"When?"

"At the hospital. Didn't you ever notice that he personally always spent more time talking to you than anyone else?" said Charlotte.

"I think you mean criticizing," said Lizzie, "That was literally what he was doing."

"Or finding excuses to be around you," said Charlotte, victoriously picking up her drink and doing an imaginary toast with someone.

Lizzie opened her mouth to reply, but then…she stopped and thought about it. She had never considered that Darcy had been looking for ways to spend time with her. The whole idea seemed ludicrous especially since Lizzie detested him so much. Could he really have been crushing on her the whole time? Had she really been so blind that she hadn't noticed it?

When she finished thinking, she noticed Charlotte watching her with a small smile.

"Did everyone know?"

"No," said Charlotte confidently, "I can honestly say I was the only one who noticed…and it's because I was the only one he didn't change around. As soon as someone else would come around, he would change into doctor mode but with you…he often came out of it."

"I only remember his doctor mode," said Lizzie.

"People often only remember the bad things," said Charlotte wistfully.

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Because I wasn't positive and I thought you were fighting the urge to like him in some weird way. I mean, I don't see how you couldn't be attracted to him," said Charlotte, grinning, but Lizzie shook her head. "Come on, Lizzie. Darcy is hot, and you know it. If you don't think that, then you're blind."

Lizzie stubbornly shook her head.

"Denial," said Charlotte, "It's what kept you from seeing that he liked you in the first place."

Lizzie suddenly remembered a previous conversation. "Wait," said Lizzie holding up her hand, "I remember you saying before you moved away that I had more options than I realized…you were referring to Darcy weren't you?"

"Caught that, huh."

"Just now, I did…none it matters anyway. I can never forgive him for what he did to Jane," said Lizzie, "And Wickham."

"I understand that," said Charlotte, "Honestly, my opinion of him does go down a little. I can't understand what he was thinking about that whole thing."

"He wasn't thinking."

"What are you going to do about Jane?"

"I can't tell her," said Lizzie her eyes welling with tears, "It will only hurt her more."

"Yeah," said Charlotte sadly, "Probably for the best."

The next morning, Lizzie packed quickly, not bothering to fold anything she threw into the suitcase. (Not that she did normally anyway.) She wanted this trip to be over as quickly as possible and the sooner she was on the plane, the sooner she wouldn't have to listen to anyone.

Sensing Lizzie's mood, Charlotte was quick to get Lizzie out the door. She told Lizzie she only had to make a quick stop at the hospital and Lizzie's only response was to make it clear she would not be leaving the car. Practically cowering, Lizzie waited and Charlotte was literally in and out in five minutes.

The drive to the hospital was quiet and Lizzie appreciated that Charlotte did not try to force a conversation. Lizzie was in no mood to talk. As they arrived, Lizzie was suddenly saddened that she had to say goodbye to her friend. She had been so focused on her problems that she had forgotten to enjoy the time she had with Charlotte.

"Don't worry," Charlotte said, "I will come see you soon."

"That makes me feel better," said Lizzie, "I honestly don't know what I would do without you."

"You would do Just fine," said Charlotte and she leaned in to give Lizzie one last hug. As they separated, Charlotte took Lizzie's hands and looked deep in Lizzie's eyes, making it impossible to look away.

"I just want you to do one last favor for me," said Charlotte firmly.

"Anything," said Lizzie, her guilt of taking Charlotte for granted weighing on her.

"I want you to promise me you'll read this letter," said Charlotte, and she handed Lizzie a white envelope. Lizzie took it. It had her name on it and Lizzie recognized the handwriting, but she couldn't place it. It wasn't Charlotte's handwriting.

"Who's it from?"

Charlotte hesitated. "Promise me you'll read it first."

"Okay, I'll read it. Who's it from?"

"Darcy."

Anger pulsed through Lizzie's veins and she shoved the letter back towards Charlotte, but Charlotte shook her head.

"No, you promised."

"I wouldn't have if I knew," snapped Lizzie.

"That's why I made you promise before," said Charlotte, and she held out the envelope, "Lizzie. Please read this for me."

Lizzie threw her head back. She had to word it that way because she knew Lizzie wouldn't refuse it. "Fine. For you. Not for him!" Lizzie took the envelope back.

"I love you so much, Lizzie. Just try reading it with an open mind," said Charlotte.

"Have you read it?"

"No, but when he asked me to give it to you…I could tell it was important," said Charlotte.

"Where did he give it to you? And when?"

"Hospital."

"Ah," said Lizzie. Right as she said this, she noticed the time, "I really need to go, I'm sorry. I love you." And she gave Charlotte one last hug before she grabbed her suitcase and took off.

All through security, Lizzie hated that she was carrying anything that Darcy had written, but she had promised Charlotte, so she kept it. She made it to the gate with plenty of time so she got herself some breakfast. She put the letter in her purse and ignored it. She didn't say when she would read it after all.

But as she munched on her breakfast, read her book, and boarded the plane, it felt like the letter was giving her the evil eye. Lizzie angrily considered giving it to one of the flight attendants asking them to throw it away. But, she sighed, she had promised Charlotte. So, finally, she picked it up and broke the seal.

Lizzie could immediately tell that the envelope was expensive paper. She only knew this because Mr. Bennet had always had a slight obsession with parchment and paper so Lizzie could tell the difference between quality and cheap.

Lizzie was also surprised that he had hand written the letter. Seemed old-fashioned, but then again, Lizzie remembered Fitz telling her that Darcy hand wrote to him every week.

Finally, with fidgety fingers, Lizzie opened the letter and took a deep breath.

 _Dear Lizzie,_

Lizzie snorted. That opening felt a little too personal for her taste.

 _I know that your gut reaction is going to be to throw this away._

Lizzie was surprised. Maybe he did know her better than she thought.

 _But, I ask you to please read this in its entirety. There are some very important things you need to know._

"Of course," said Lizzie out loud, "You must always have the last word," and she turned to the person sitting next to her expecting them to agree with her but the person only gave her a strange look.

"Sorry," said Lizzie quickly apologizing, and she turned back to her letter.

 _I must be allowed to explain myself. You have thrown two situations at me in which I want you to know the full story. In particular, I feel you must understand everything about my history with Wickham.  
I know this is a sensitive subject but let me tell you, I don't know exactly what lies he told you but let me tell you the exact history he has with my family. George is the son of my father's accountant. More accurately, he is the son of my father's best friend. In so, Wickham and I were practically raised together. Honestly, he was one of my best friends. I loved him dearly and his family and mine spent much of our time together. When both of his parents became sick, it was hard on everyone in my family. My father did everything he could to help both of George's parents, but they both died within a short time of each other. _

_George came to live with us after that, when both of us were in high school. Granted, he was in boarding school for much of that time but he was still part of our family. We never officially adopted him; my father even offered it at one point, but Wickham told him he didn't want to…maybe that should have been a hint for us…I don't know. My father even set up a college and law school fund for him which he was thrilled at. The money his parents had wanted to use for college ended up being used for hospital bills, so my father gave him that gift. Wickham claimed he had always wanted to go into law school so he could become a lawyer like my father._

 _My own personal father's health started to fail when I was in medical school. Honestly, I considered dropping out for a bit, but my father told me to keep in school. Wickham, however, stayed by my father's side, which honestly gave me a lot of comfort at the time. I was thankful that someone could be there for my father…and my sister._

 _My sister Georgiana…is the most precious person in the world to me. I love her dearly and we have always been close despite the age gap of eight years. I've always been very protective of her which was another reason I was so thankful that Wickham was around. He could help take care of them both…_

 _A few months later, my father died. Honestly, that was one of the darkest moments in my life. As I put my father into the grave, our faithful housekeeper that we've had for all my life asked to talk to me in private. She then proceeded to tell me that something was going on between Wickham and Georgie._

 _At first, what she insinuated, I thought it was impossible. They were practically siblings and she was only seventeen. I did not believe it, but I did go talk to Georgie, who at first denied it. There was something odd about the way she denied it, though. She wouldn't look me completely in the eye. So, being the protective brother that I am, I kept a closer eye on her for a bit before returning to school._

 _And what I found was astonishing. She had been using her credit cards. Yes, my family has money, but Georgie had never used her credit cards a day in her life, but suddenly she was spending extreme amounts of money on everything from hotel stays, expensive restaurants, and renting luxury equipment such as cars and boats._

 _I confronted her about her spending…and she broke. She told me everything._

 _For several months, nearly six, she had been involved in a physical relationship with Wickham. She told me it was a real relationship and she only hid it from me because she was afraid I wouldn't support them because of the age gap._

 _You can imagine how I felt. I confronted Wickham immediately…his reply will always haunt me. He told me Georgie was seventeen which by law in New York is the consenting age for sex with a minor. He told me there was nothing I could do. You can imagine how I felt. I threw Wickham out of the house that night. Georgie wouldn't speak to me for days. She only kept saying that she loved him…and the saddest part about the whole thing was…she did._

 _I investigated him more only to find that he had been seeing several woman during that time and so, as committed as Georgie was to the relationship, she had only been a tool for him. Sex and money. That's what he wanted from her, and he got it._

 _I wanted to hurt him. He was dead to me. Georgie begged me not too. So, I let Wickham go. I even gave him the money my father had left for him—for my father's sake, not for Wickham's. I knew the minute I handed him the money, he was going to waste it. I had seen how he had spent Georgie's allowance._

 _He tried to reach out to Georgie a year later, and she met with him without my knowledge. She came home that day sobbing. For a year, my sister had held onto a small hope that he would come back for her. Every part of the relationship had been real on her end, but in that meeting, he asked her for money. When she refused him the money he asked her for, he tore her to pieces. I won't repeat some of the words he said to her._

 _I despise Wickham with every ounce of my being…he used and abused my sister which took her a long time to recover from. When I found out he was in Chicago and seeing you, I nearly lost it but thankfully, we never met in person. I'm not sure what I would have done._

Lizzie stopped reading for a moment shocked. Wickham? Was the guy she knew truly capable of this? He had been such an incredible guy. She thought through everything Wickham had told her. He had mentioned he was close with Georgie but he had never mentioned a relationship with her and Darcy wouldn't make up a detail like that.

Suddenly, Lizzie was sickened at the thought of Wickham. Sleeping with a seventeen year old...

To try to move on from that thought before she physically vomited, she kept reading.

 _The other explanation is about Charles and Jane…I watched them carefully and I stand by what I said. I did not see any deep regard for Charles from Jane. Yes, she enjoyed his company but Charles would have married her the day he met her…he was that in love._

 _Jane was not ready for that and Charles would have ended up hurt. It was better for him to take himself out before he was taken out._

 _Plus, you mentioned Jane was going to tell him yes to his proposal that night? Why didn't she say anything? She was right there with him through that whole dinner and she said nothing. It doesn't make sense to me. I'm not calling you a liar. I just don't understand why she didn't say anything then. Or ever after that night. Honestly, I was expecting some communication but there hasn't been anything according to Charles._

"That's because she got dumped. You don't call the person when you get dumped without looking weak and pathetic," said Lizzie angrily, and the person next to her once again gave her long side glance but Lizzie ignored them.

 _Anyways. I am sorry that we do not see eye to eye on this, but I truly did what I thought was best for my friend. I hope you can respect that. I also hope Jane recovers._

"Evil pig," muttered Lizzie ignoring the third look from her seat mate.

 _And I know this is a favor…but please don't show this letter to anyone else. I've kept Georgie's past with Wickham a secret for two reasons._

 _One…my father loved the Wickham family…I know he wouldn't want that family ruined._

 _The more important reason, though, is Georgie herself. She begged me to not do anything to Wickham…and I didn't. But I also don't want her life ruined. People, including some of my family and friends, would not understand that she was manipulated, taken advantage of…I want her life to be free of people's condescension._

 _So please, keep this information to yourself. I know I can trust your discretion._

 _William Darcy_

At first, Lizzie was too frustrated to really do anything besides fling the letter into her purse and put in headphones, blasting her music away. As she allowed the music to calm her down, she considered the letter thoroughly. She couldn't forgive Darcy for what he had done to Jane, but what he had said about Wickham had really thrown her for a loop.

Lizzie was not used to being wrong about people. She had thought Wickham was the victim. Perhaps, Darcy and his sister were the true victims. That certainly was the opposite of what had been presented to her by Wickham.

She would talk to Jane about it. Jane had a gift for seeing the positive and truth in things. Lizzie felt safe revealing the information about Wickham to her. If only the plane could go faster, because all Lizzie wanted was to see Jane.


	17. Chapter 17

The flight took far longer than Lizzie wished and she found herself counting randomly to simply pass the time. The minute she was allowed, she was out of her seat trying to exit the plane. Lizzie was beyond happy to finally be home. She was expecting Jane, but was surprised when she spotted her sisters, Lydia and Kitty, running towards her, waving enthusiastically.

"Lizzie," they called frantically.

"Hi, guys," said Lizzie, trying to hide her disappointment at not seeing Jane. She gave each of them a hug, "I thought Jane was coming."

"She called us an hour ago asking if we could swing it," said Lydia, "And I need the practice anyway."

"You drove? You don't have your permit!"

"I do now. Plus, Kitty drove here so we were perfectly legal. I'm going to be taking my test any day now," said Lydia squealing, "Besides, I'll be seventeen later this year."

"Wow, I guess you will be," admitted Lizzie, grabbing her suitcase.

"How was your trip, Lizzie?" asked Kitty.

"It was great. New York is an incredible city," said Lizzie and she gave them a brief synopsis of her trip leaving out everything of practical importance. They did not need to know any of those details.

"I'm so jealous," whined Lydia, "You get to do everything."

When they arrived at the car, Lydia tried to take the driver's seat but Lizzie protested claiming she hadn't driven in a while and wanted to do so. Lydia was disappointed but didn't put up a huge fight due to Lizzie's hard stare. Truth was, Lizzie had no energy to worry about Lydia's driving, which she assumed was quick and crazy like the rest of Lydia's life.

"So, what did you guys do this week?" asked Lizzie as they left the airport.

"Nothing much, just school," said Kitty.

"You did just school," said Lydia, "I however, was hanging out with my college friend, Kelsey, and we went to a party."

"Lydia? Another party?" said Lizzie, a little irritated, getting on the freeway.

"It wasn't a drinking party," said Lydia fervently, "It was fun though. Oh, by the way, I heard things about your friend there!"

"What friend?"

"George Wickham."

"Oh," said Lizzie, surprised, but doing her best to keep her face clear and assuming, "What did you hear?"

"He's dating Marie King," said Kitty piping up from the backseat, adding to the conversation, "I know her too. She went to our high school last year."

"What?" said Lizzie shocked? High School? Last year?

"Yeah, she's in college now so it's not weird," said Lydia firmly.

"It's a little weird," said Lizzie now her thoughts a million miles away. Wickham was dating a freshman in college? Now there was a second occasion Lizzie knew of that involved Wickham dating someone much younger than himself. Maybe Darcy was right…about everything.

"They've been dating for a while now," said Lydia, "She's crazy about him!"

Curiosity now flooded Lizzie's brain. How long exactly had the couple been dating? It couldn't have been that long because Wickham hadn't told Lizzie about Marie until right before she had left for New York.

"Do you know how long?"

"Christmas sometime," said Lydia casually.

Christmas. That was before Lizzie and Wickham had even been out yet. Wow. Wickham could really get around, and now Lizzie was grossed out by the fact that she hadn't been the only women Wickham had been romancing. Plus, the other competition was way younger than both of them. Maybe that's what he liked. Lizzie felt a little sick now. Thank goodness things hadn't gone anywhere with them.

"I'm so jealous of her," said Kitty wistfully, "Wickham is so hot."

"He totally is," agreed Lydia.

"No, I don't think so," said Lizzie firmly.

"What?" exclaimed both of her sisters.

"Yeah, I don't see it," said Lizzie firmly.

Lizzie watched in her mirror as both her sisters shook their head at Lizzie. Lizzie was used to both girls looking at her weird so this was nothing new. If only they knew exactly why Wickham was anything but attractive.

The girls dropped her off at the apartment and Lizzie made sure Kitty was in the driver's seat before turning away. Disappointed, Lydia gave her a sad wave as they took off. As quickly as she could, Lizzie ran to her apartment and opened the door revealing the person she had most longed to see for the past 24 hours.

Jane, who looked up the minute she heard the door, ran into Lizzie's arms and they both squealed with joy at their reunion.

"I'm so happy your home," said Jane practically purring, "I missed you!"

"I missed you too," said Lizzie hugging her sister as close as possible. No matter what happened, Jane always made things better. She had that unique power. Lizzie, putting her suitcase down near their washer and dryer, sat at the kitchen counter.

"So, tell me everything about New York, Collins, Charlotte, and Katherine," said Jane joining her.

Lizzie began a very detailed explanation of the trip, but she held off telling Jane about Darcy until the end.

"You saw Darcy?" said Jane looking very surprised.

"Yeah…and about that, he kind of asked me out," said Lizzie.

"What?!"

Once again, Lizzie gave a detailed explanation of what had transpired, but she left out anything that had to do with Charles. Jane was the perfect audience, she exclaimed at all the right parts.

"He liked you?"

"I know," said Lizzie, "It's so crazy to think about."

"I just…why didn't he say anything sooner?" wondered Jane.

"It's against his pride."

"I can't believe he wrote you a letter," said Jane, "Can I see it?"

"Um, no," said Lizzie, lying and thinking quickly, "He asked me to throw it away when I was done. And I did." She hadn't thrown it away. Truth was, it was in one of her socks hidden in her suitcase. She wanted to keep the letter but she couldn't let Jane read it. She would know about Charles then, and Lizzie had firmly decided to keep that information from Jane simply to protect her sister.

"That was the right thing to do if he asked," said Jane sweetly, "I can't believe this whole Wickham thing."

"I know, I didn't want to believe it either, but then when Lydia told me he had been seeing someone else around the time he was seeing me…it kind of confirmed to me that he can be a bit of a player," said Lizzie, sadly, and with a hint of anger.

"Plus, I don't think Darcy would make up such a story about his own sister," said Jane.

"My conclusion exactly."

"It's just so…wow!"

"I know," sighed Lizzie.

"Lizzie," said Jane taking her hands, "It must have been really hard…for you to read that letter all by yourself. Why didn't you call me?"

"I didn't want to bother you. Things have been hard for you lately and I didn't want to bother you with my problems," admitted Lizzie. It was the truth. Most of the truth.

"Promise me you'll always call me," said Jane, "It doesn't matter what we're going through, I want you to call me!"

"I will," said Lizzie, "I do have a question for you."

"Okay?"

"Do you think I should try and tell people about Wickham? I mean, he's still around and he's…well, he's a total master manipulator."

"I don't think so," said Jane shaking her head, "I can't imagine telling people and ruining his reputation. That's so cruel. What do you think?"

"I don't want to even attempt. Plus, Darcy asked me not to and I want to respect that…especially because his sister was so young," said Lizzie adamantly, "She deserves that privacy."

"I agree," said Jane nodding, "Maybe Wickham is a better man now. He could even be trying to turn his life around and we would ruin that for him."

"Oh Jane," said Lizzie giving her a hug, "I've missed you so much. You always think so well of people."

Summer soon came and Lizzie was content once again in her routine. Subway in the morning, work, subway home, spend time with Jane, reading, and then going to bed. She loved the routine, but for the first  
time in her life…the routine wasn't as satisfying as it had been before. Something was missing, but she wasn't sure what exactly. She just knew she wanted more.

One option came at work that day.

"Lizzie," said Mrs. Gardiner approaching her.

"Yes," said Lizzie as she left a patient's room.

"Can we talk for a moment?"

"Sure," said Lizzie, and followed her into a conference room where Mrs. Gardiner shut the door. Lizzie felt panic rise inside—closed doors usually meant trouble.

"Is everything okay?"

"Don't look so nervous, Lizzie," laughed Mrs. Gardiner, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Okay," breathed Lizzie, letting out a sigh of relief, "So, what can I do for you?"

"Well," said Mrs. Gardiner, "I know we've talked about my children before."

"Yes," said Lizzie not sure where this was going.

"My daughter is expecting her first baby this winter," said Mrs. Gardiner, with a bright smile on her face.

"That's wonderful! Congratulations!"

"Thank you, we are so thrilled for our first grand-baby!" she said, happily.

"I bet."

"Now, the reason for this talk. I am planning on retiring soon. I want to be a full-time grandma. This job for me has never been about money. My husband does well enough to provide for both of us. I did this to give me something to do and I loved every moment of it but now…now that I'll have a little one to put my time towards, I no longer want to work," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"I understand completely," said Lizzie, "I'm so happy you can do this. You'll be the best grandma."

"Thank you. I don't want it public knowledge yet, but I've told the hospital and they asked who I thought should replace me," said Mrs. Gardiner, "And I recommended you."

"Me?" said Lizzie shocked, "Why me?"

"You are an excellent nurse. Top of your game, Lizzie. In fact, you've had success across the board."

"I'm way less experienced than many of the nurses here," protested Lizzie.

"The hospital wants to invest in someone younger. Plus, you came highly recommended," said Mrs. Gardiner with a wink.

"Thanks," said Lizzie slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, you should thank someone else. It was Dr. Fitzwilliam's idea in the first place."

"Darcy?" Lizzie was shocked.

"Yes, sorry, I forget you call him that."

"When did he recommend me?"

"A while ago, he said you should move up because you were very capable," she said, nodding, "And I agreed with him that you were a great option."

"I don't know what to say," said Lizzie, her head spinning. Forget knowing what to say, she hardly knew what to think.

"The job isn't yours yet," said Mrs. Gardiner, "You still have to work for it. Plus, I'm planning on staying through the fall. The reason I bring it up at all is because I want you to come with me and my husband to the Hospital Medicine Conference in New York."

"New York?"

"I know you were just there, but this isn't taking place in New York City, it's outside of the city at a resort. It's one of the biggest medical conferences and this is our first year going," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"Wow, why do you want me to come?"

"I did promise you I would take you on our next trip. Plus, I think this would be good for you if you wish to move up in the hospital," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Plus, it's paid for and it's at an incredible resort and will be an wonderful conference."

"Well, since it's free," joked Lizzie, not sure what else to say.

"Think it over," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Let us know by the end of the week so we can purchase flights and make reservations."

"I will."

As she rode the subway home, she thought about the job possibility. She had never really thought about doing anything else except the job she currently had.

She thought about Darcy…he was the one who had told Mrs. Gardiner that she would make a good check nurse. It all seemed so backwards to what her opinion had been of Darcy. Everything seemed to be flip-flopping.

Later that night, on their way to the Bennet household, Lizzie told Jane about her conversation with Mrs. Gardiner, and Jane was thrilled for her.

"Wow, that's incredible, Lizzie!" said Jane as she drove, "Good for you."

"Yeah, it's just strange because there are people who are so much more qualified than me."

"Still, it's so awesome!"

"Yeah…the crazy thing is Darcy was the one who recommended me," said Lizzie looking out the window.

"Why is that surprising?" said Jane, "He knows you're a good nurse."

"Yeah…I just…could I have been that wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"It feels so wrong that when I was comparing Wickham and Darcy, I was putting all the good on Wickham's side. It seems there's enough good in both of them combined to make one solid guy. And now," said Lizzie hesitating slightly, "I think all the good is actually in Darcy."

Jane answer was a nod and Lizzie disappeared into her thoughts and her music. Was she that wrong? Lizzie wasn't used to having her opinions about people changed. Usually whatever conclusion she made, she kept. Not because she was quick to judge, but because she was usually right.

But, it was looking like she had been wrong in both cases. It was not something she was fond of admitting.

When they arrived at the house for family dinner, the house was in chaos and dinner was nowhere near being ready.

Both Lizzie and Jane went straight into the kitchen and got dinner finished. And just as they finished, Mrs. Bennet came to the dining room and practically took credit for all the food in front of everyone else. Lizzie gave Jane a laughing, sad shrug.

Just as everyone was putting their first bites of food into their mouths, Lydia burst into the room screaming with joy.

"Mom! I have the most amazing news," she squealed, "Wait, till you hear it!"

"What is it?" cried Mrs. Bennet.

"My friend Kelsey," said Lydia jumping with excitement, "She's going to Las Vegas this summer and she invited me!"

"Oh Lydia," said Mrs. Bennet, "What luck! What fun!"

"Vegas? This summer?" asked Kitty, "Did she say anything about me?"

"No," said Lydia spitefully, "You guys aren't even friends!"

"That's not true," yelled Kitty.

"Kitty, my nerves, don't shout," said Mrs. Bennet, shouting herself, and putting her hands over her heart.

"Her aunt has an apartment and she said Kelsey could come and bring some friends," said Lydia loudly and she purposefully looked at Kitty with superiority.

"How old is this Kelsey?" said Lizzie.

"She's in college," said Lydia, "I told you about her! She's the one whose party I went to."

"Ah, yes, you did," said Lizzie rolling her eyes at Jane who gave her a laughing smile. Lizzie also looked to her father who was chewing with a slight smile on his face which confirmed his amusement.

"This is unfair," said Kitty, "I hang out with you guys too, but you always exclude me," said Kitty angrily. Mrs. Bennet once again sighed and motioned for her to keep her voice down.

"I'm sorry that nobody wants you to come," said Lydia sarcastically, "Sometimes, you are just too much for people."

"Lydia," said Lizzie firmly, "Before you rub this in your sister's face, you should note that neither parent has given you permission, and it's rather unlikely that they will."

"Mom won't stop me," said Lydia confidently looking at Mrs. Bennet, "She's understands this is a great opportunity."

Mrs. Bennet smiled at her youngest and she turned to Lizzie, "This is a wonderful chance, Lizzie. I wish you wouldn't harsh down on everyone's fun."

"Surprise," said Lizzie under her breath that fortunately Mrs. Bennet missed, "Dad won't though," she added aloud to Lydia.

Lydia fearing Lizzie was right, looked to her father.

"Daddy," Lydia said in her best impression of innocence, "This would be the most amazing summer, and Kelsey is responsible. Plus, her aunt will be there so an adult will be there. I promise I will be responsible and take care of myself. We'll just hang out at the pool all summer, that's it," said Lydia, pleadingly.

Lizzie turned to her father with her eyebrows raised. Mr. Bennet, who hadn't been saying much of anything, cleared his throat.

"Lydia, you promise to follow the rules your mother and I have laid out for you," he said not looking at Lizzie.

"Yes," promised Lydia, "Of course I will."

"Then I don't see an issue," said Mr. Bennet calmly.

"What?" gasped Lizzie, but she couldn't be heard from the abrupt noise heard throughout the room. Lydia's screams of joy were doubled as Mrs. Bennet joined in the cheering. Kitty stormed away from the table,  
nearly crying; and Mary, tired of all the uncultured hubbub, started talking (practically shouting over the other noise) to Jane about some music piece she was composing.

Lizzie simply stared at her father with a look of disbelief. He avoided her gaze and left the table, taking his plate into his study to be free of the noise.

Lizzie was furious as she and Jane cleaned up after dinner. Lydia and Mrs. Bennet began making a list of all the things she would need.

"I need a new bathing suit," said Lydia, "Something that flatters my figure more." and Mrs. Bennet happily agreed.

"And by that, she means something with less material," Lizzie whispered to Jane who was by her side, "Her swim suit hardly covers her now."

"Probably," said Jane, "But Lizzie, please don't cause too much trouble. They won't listen to your advice if you raise your voice."

"I can't believe dad said yes," said Lizzie shaking her head, "I'm going to talk to him before we leave," she said, and left the kitchen before Jane could talk her out of it. The study door was closed and Lizzie opened it without knocking.

Her father was still reading his newspaper when she walked in. Lizzie stood with her arms crossed, right in front of his desk.

"Yes?" he said, without looking up.

"How can you let her go?"

"Why do you say that?" he said calmly, putting down his newspaper.

"Because it's Vegas. And she's SIXTEEN," said Lizzie, "Yes, there is an adult, who you know nothing about. Plus, she's going with a group of college students, which means there will be partying, and you know  
she will be drinking."

"I realize all those things, Lizzie."

"Then how can you let her go?!"

"Because Lydia…needs to be social. She needs to be where things are happening. That's just her personality. And I know she'll grow out of it but she needs to get through this party stage and this is a perfect opportunity for her to do so," he said, "And it will hold little inconvenience for your mother and I."

"Inconvenience?" said Lizzie shocked, "Did you really just say that?"

"Yes."

"Dad," said Lizzie, "That's not the way to parent!

"I did little to interfere with you and you turned out just fine," argued Mr. Bennet.

"I wasn't out partying every weekend," said Lizzie, "And in my summers, you wanted me to get a job, and I did. Why isn't Lydia required to get a job?"

Mr. Bennet didn't answer and Lizzie knew the answer by the look on his face.

"Because it's _inconvenient_ for you, because it would mean standing up to Lydia, which you don't want to do. So, because she throws a fit, she gets to do what she wants. Is that really what you want to teach her?"

"I'm not teaching her anything. I am simply letting her go away for the summer," said Mr. Bennet clearly annoyed.

"You're letting her do whatever she wants," said Lizzie, "And you've always allowed it. Pretty soon dad she's going to…she's going to be completely out of control and there will be nothing anyone can do."

"That's pretty steep, Lizzie," said Mr. Bennet, "Please sit and calm down."

Lizzie did sit and Mr. Bennet walked around his desk to sit next to her.

"I was already planning on calling the aunt. That will answer many questions you may have. And the truth is…if I say no, Lydia will go through the roof. If she goes, we will have a relaxing summer and she can  
have her fun," he said getting back up. Lizzie began to open her mouth, but Mr. Bennet shut her down.

"No, that's enough, Lizzie. I let you have your say, but now you need to respect my decision," he said and he sat back down and finished his last bite on his dinner plate.

"Okay," said Lizzie getting up. She was livid but she was going to drop it.

"Lizzie, dear," he said to her back, "Do you mind taking my plate back for me?"

"No," said Lizzie, sarcastically, "I'd rather not. It's inconvenient." And she closed the door behind her.


	18. Chapter 18

Lizzie wasn't proud of herself for the way she talked to her father but she refused to call and apologize. Her dad was taking the lazy road when it came to parenting and Lizzie was tired of just accepting it. Her whole life she had challenged her parents to do better and every time, Lizzie was forced to watch them make mistake after mistake.

Lydia didn't keep quiet about her trip one bit. She bragged about it every time Lizzie and Jane were around. This bothered Lizzie at first, but Lizzie soon realized Lydia was just trying to get a reaction, so she stopped reacting and eventually, Lydia stopped rubbing Lizzie's face in it. The same could not be said about Kitty who broke down in tears every time Lydia brought it up.

Despite her family issues, Lizzie was thankful for the warm temperatures that greeted her every time she went outside. People were generally in a better mood during the summer, which made her long shifts easier than the dreary winter months.

Lizzie good mood was also helped by deciding to go with the Gardiners to the conference. She spent several lunch breaks with Mrs. Gardiner gushing about the spa options that the resort offered.

"We could try and get our spa treatments written off as medical needs," said Mrs. Gardiner, grinning while flipping through the pamphlet.

"I doubt they would allow that," said Lizzie laughing, "I have been saving money lately though, and I am planning on at the very least getting a massage."

"Me too," said Mrs. Gardiner reading through the resort pamphlet, "But this mud bath looks tempting as well. Don't you think?"

"It looks fun in a weird way," admitted Lizzie, "But I'm trying to save money."

"For what?"

"Jane and I are considering buying a house together," said Lizzie.

"Really?" said Mrs. Gardiner, "You guys grew out of the apartment?"

Lizzie shrugged. "I think we're both just ready for a change."

A few days before Lizzie was due to leave for the resort, she went with Jane to the Bennet's to say goodbye to Lydia. By the looks of it, Mrs. Bennet had bought Lydia a whole new wardrobe for her trip which Lydia shamelessly showed off to her sisters.

In the midst of Lydia's enthusiastic chattering about her trip, Lizzie had a chance to meet Kelsey for the first time, and was encouraged in the little bit of conversation they had. It seemed that Kelsey would be more responsible than she had feared. Even though Lizzie still strongly disagreed with her parent's decision, she had new hope that things would probably go better than she at first had expected.

Mr. Bennet gave Lydia a final hug before he disappeared back into the house and Lizzie pointedly did not meet his eye as he walked past both her and Jane. Things between Lizzie and Mr. Bennet were still weird and neither of them were willing to make the first step toward reconciliation.

After Lydia took off with Kelsey in the van on their road-trip to Vegas, Kitty burst into tears once more. Jane threw a comforting arm around her. "Kitty, you didn't even say goodbye. Do you want to use my phone to call her?"

"No," wailed Kitty, practically shoving Jane away, "I don't!"

"Kitty, there's no need to be like this. I know Lydia has been hard to deal with, but one of you needs to apologize," called Jane to Kitty's retreating back. "You could be the first!"

"Never," said Kitty as she slammed the front door.

Jane walked to Lizzie's side and wrapped her arms around her, "How nice it would be if people would put aside their pride and just apologize."

"Why do I feel like you weren't just talking to Kitty?" said Lizzie smiling.

"It's not my fault if you read into my words," said Jane smugly, "Why? Do you have a guilty conscience?"

"Oh, funny!"

"Come on, Lizzie," said Jane turning to face her, "Who do you want to take wisdom from? Our selfish younger sisters who fight all the time, or your older sister who only has your best interests at heart?"

"Ugh," said Lizzie, "Why did you have to word it like that?" She knew Jane was right, but being the first to apologize is never easy, especially when you have two stubborn people. All Jane did was shrug slightly and give Lizzie her disappointed face, which was like watching a puppy beg for a treat.

"Fine," said Lizzie, groaning, and she turned towards the house but didn't move forward. "Give me a push."

"Thank you," said Jane, giving her a gently shove forward and following her into the house. Lizzie walked to her father's office and she took a deep breath and knocked.

"Enter."

"Dad," she said, sliding in.

"Lizzie," he said without much change in expression and he kept his eyes fixed on his book.

Lizzie walked to his desk and leaned against it watching her father. He always did this. He stayed quiet even if he had summoned someone in his office. He insisted on being the second person to talk, which made apologizing ten times as hard, because Lizzie knew he wouldn't ask her what was wrong. She would simply have to jump into it.

"I'm sorry," said Lizzie, before she could lose her nerve.

Mr. Bennet looked up at her and took off his glasses and wiped them. He then examined her closer, "I was just making sure you were my daughter, Lizzie. My daughter, Lizzie, often would rather die than be the first to apologize," he said with a slight grin on his face, "She's stubborn."

"A quality I received from my father," replied Lizzie.

"True," he nodded, "I apologize as well, Lizzie."

Surprised, Lizzie said, "I didn't think you thought you needed to, but I appreciate it."

"Maybe not," said Mr. Bennet, "But it's always better to be safe than sorry."

"Also true," said Lizzie smiling.

"So, how is my beautiful girl?" he said, returning to his book, and Lizzie knew that everything was forgiven.

"Good," she said sliding into her typical leather chair, "I leave soon for the conference."

"That's right. How long will you be gone?"

"Just two weeks," said Lizzie.

"Two weeks? That's a long conference," said Mr. Bennet.

"The conference isn't that whole time," explained Lizzie, "The hospital was kind enough to allow some paid vacation time for the Gardiners, and because I'm going with them, I get it off too," she said happily.

"Perks," Mr. Bennet said.

"Yup, I am looking forward to it," said Lizzie, "Plus, the resort sounds amazing and I'm pretty sure I couldn't ever afford to stay there on my own."

"High end, is it?"

"Most definitely."

"Well, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time," he added, "Jane is also going to be busy. She told me she's going to be looking at a few possible houses to buy."

"Yeah, we're considering," said Lizzie nodding.

"Good for you," he said, "But you realize this means you may not get your subway ride every morning?"

"I know," said Lizzie sadly, "That part of my routine may have to end."

"Routines have a way of ending and changing. It just means you'll find something else."

Jane poked her head in then and smiled, sensing the change in energy between the two of them. "Lizzie, I need to get going. You ready?"

"Yeah," said Lizzie getting up and Mr. Bennet came around the desk to hug her goodbye.

"Have a wonderful time on your trip," he said as they embraced, "Treat yourself. And enjoy some of the sights."

All too soon, Lizzie's bag was packed. Packed was an understatement. It was stuffed to the point that Lizzie was terrified her suitcase was going to explode at any moment.

"Why is it so heavy?" asked Jane, helping Lizzie drag it to the door.

"Because I don't really know how people dress at this thing, and I want to be prepared for anything," said Lizzie as they dropped it by the door.

"Plus, you need lots of casual things because you're also on vacation, kind of," said Jane realizing Lizzie's dilemma.

"Exactly, I needed clothes for every scenario in life."

"Not everything. You don't need funeral clothes," said Jane.

"You never know," said Lizzie, in a mocking serious tone.

"If you attend a funeral on this trip, I'll give you fifty dollars," said Jane laughing.

"Ha, joke's on you. Now, all I have to do is find a cemetery, and wait. Then, I'm up fifty bucks."

"No. Not fair! You knew what I meant!"

"Fine. I'll only go if I know the person," said Lizzie seriously.

"This is kind of fun," said Jane laughing, "What else can we bet about?"

"I'll give you twenty bucks if you manage to tell the realtor you don't like something about one of the houses," said Lizzie laughing.

"That's not hard!"

"Are you kidding? Have you met yourself? Do you recall the time your food was stone cold and you still couldn't manage to tell the waiter to take it back?"

"It's hard to tell people they've made a mistake," said Jane sadly.

"I know. That's why I know that telling the realtor you don't like something will be very difficult for you."

They heard a knocking right at that moment and Lizzie pulled it open to reveal the Gardiners. "The car's downstairs," said Dr. Gardiner to Lizzie, "Hello, Jane," he added.

"Dr. Gardiner," she said nodding, "Hello, Mrs. Gardiner."

"Hello, Jane. I'm sorry we can't take you. It would have been fun to bring both Bennet girls," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"That's okay," said Jane sweetly.

"I think this trip is going to be a great time," said Dr. Gardiner happily.

"I'm not looking for a good time," joked Lizzie, and she gave Jane a farewell hug, "In fact, I'm hoping we run into a funeral."

"What?" said both Gardiners.

"Ignore her," said Jane, releasing Lizzie, "She's joking."

"I see," said Dr. Gardiner, though he clearly did not.

"I'll explain on the way," said Lizzie, and she thankfully accepted Dr. Gardiner's offer of assistance with her suitcase.

The Gardiners were some of the nicest people that existed and Lizzie felt right at home with them. Truth be told, whenever Lizzie needed advice about certain aspects, she would go to Mrs. Gardiner instead of Mrs. Bennet, as Mrs. Bennet simply couldn't be depended on for solid advice. This had built an especially close bond between Lizzie and Mrs. Gardiner.

When they got onto the plane, Lizzie was shocked to discover they were flying first class which had never happened to her before. It was luxury. Lizzie enjoyed being attended to on such a high level. She also enjoyed the calmness that first class offered versus other times she had flown. She plugged in her headphones and alternated looking out the window with doing Sudoku.

She already missed Jane. Despite all the bad things they had gone through the past year, Lizzie and Jane were closer than ever for it. Lizzie also felt she had grown as a person.

They landed in a different part of New York than Lizzie had been to before. It was only a couple hours away from the city, but the conference was being held in the area, and Lizzie was relieved to be at a smaller airport than J.F.K, which had been a little overwhelming.

At the baggage claim, Lizzie was horrified to find a huge crack in her bag. It didn't look like anything had fallen out yet, but it was only a matter of time. The response at the customer service desk was underwhelming. She could choose a replacement suitcase from their stock of unclaimed bags, all of which were older, smaller, and in worse shape, or she could accept their cash replacement offer.

"I can't believe it," said Lizzie as they headed outside where the bright sun greeted them, "I was worried they'd lose my luggage, not break it. And didn't give me nearly enough to replace it. I could probably afford some duct tape, but not a new suitcase."

"I'm sorry, honey," said Mrs. Gardiner kindly, "I hope it doesn't affect your trip."

"It shouldn't," said Lizzie, knowing it was already affecting her, but trying to put on a good face. It wasn't just the injustice of the airline's offer. She needed a new suitcase, and she refused to take money from her house fund for it. She'd either have to give up her spa time, or actually try the duct tape route. She didn't look forward to either option.

Lizzie walked outside with Mrs. Gardiner to wait with the luggage for Dr. Gardiner to get the rental car and pick them up.

"This is wonderful," said Mrs. Gardiner sitting on a bench and soaking in the sun.

"Hmmhmm," said Lizzie and she took a seat next to her, "It sure is different than New York City." She looked around, her crankiness disappearing with the gloriousness of the weather.

"Yeah, well, we heard upstate New York had a Midwest feel so maybe we won't be completely out of place," said Mrs. Gardiner.

Dr. Gardiner came quickly with the car and they all got in. Extra care was taken for Lizzie's suitcase and she hoped it would hold together a little longer.

They had a short drive but it didn't matter because each person was glued to the beauty of the day, and the enjoyment of each other. As they neared the resort, Lizzie realized that they weren't in just any area. Gated fences guarded house after house. And these weren't just any houses, they ranged from small mansions…to just mansions.

"Wow," said Lizzie over and over again. Everything about this place looked expensive. Even their mailboxes and sidewalks looked better than other places even though Lizzie was pretty sure it was still simple concrete.

The minute they pulled into the resort, Lizzie knew she needed to cherish these next two weeks. The resort was oozing with wealth, and she knew she'd never experience such luxury ever again.

As they pulled in, a valet came running and greeted Dr. Gardiner.

"Good afternoon, and welcome to Derbyshire Estates," the man said with a big smile. "Can we take your bags please?" and he motioned two more men who appeared ready to help.

"Yes, thank you," said Lizzie amazed, but she quickly pointed out her flawed bag. Dr. Gardiner handed the man the keys and the three of them walked into the resort, assisted by the two bellhops with the luggage.

The inside took Lizzie's breath away and she squeezed Mrs. Gardiner's hand in excitement. It was the epitome of luxury. Marble and pillars lined their way while fountains and flowers decorated every corner. The smell reminded Lizzie of an old greenhouse that she used to work at back in high school. How they managed the smell while having tons of people everywhere was incredible.

Dr. Gardiner checked in and the three of them, followed by the two bellhops, entered the elevator.

Even the elevator music played enchanting music that immediately relaxed Lizzie.

"Is the whole place rented out for the conference?" she asked Mrs. Gardiner who shrugged, unsure.

"It will be nice to see people," said Mrs. Gardiner, "I'm looking forward to seeing Dr. Darcy's seminar, aren't you, Lizzie?"

"What?" said Lizzie shocked but the doors opened and she was shuffled out with everyone exiting.

"What do you mean, Mrs. Gardiner?" said Lizzie, panicked. She hadn't seen Darcy since their confrontation and she was by no means ready to face him. She doubted she would ever be ready to face him.

"Well, he's one of the top neurosurgeons," said Mrs. Gardiner laughing, "And we're only an hour away from his home. Of course he's going to be here. Did you really think he wouldn't be?"

Lizzie was outraged at herself. Now that Mrs. Gardiner spelled it all out, how could Lizzie have put none of that together. She hadn't even considered he would be here.

She couldn't face him. That would be the most embarrassing moment of her life.

"Lizzie, you alright?" said Mrs. Gardiner, "Is it a problem that he'll be here?"

"No," said Lizzie quickly, "I just was surprised!"

They walked down the hall and Lizzie was disappointed she could no longer enjoy the beauty of the hotel as much as she had previously, but when she saw her room, some of that anger disappeared. It was going to be so wonderful to have this to herself. She had a jetted tub, which she mentally noted she would use later, and a great view of the grounds.

The Gardiners had told her to take some time to get settled in and they would go out to dinner in a bit. The minute the door closed, she dove for her phone. Finding Charlotte's name, she dialed.

"Hey," said Charlotte on the other end, "You make it to the resort?"

"Yup, and I'm doomed," said Lizzie dramatically.

"Why?"

"Darcy is going to be here," said Lizzie.

"Well, yeah," said Charlotte as though it was so obvious.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" said Lizzie angrily.

"I thought you must have known. I mean, it's right by his home and he's spoken at this conference before," said Charlotte.

"I had no idea," muttered Lizzie, "How can I get out of this?"

"If it makes a difference," said Charlotte slightly amused, "He won't be there today or tomorrow. SO, you're good at least the first couple of days."

"How do you know that?"

"Because he told me," said Charlotte.

"I forgot you work with him," said Lizzie.

"Not anymore. He's taken a leave of absence," said Charlotte.

"Wait. Why?"

"I don't know, it's not super uncommon for surgeons though. It's a high pressure job and sometimes they just need to step back," explained Charlotte even though Lizzie already knew this. Lizzie let out a loud sigh and she purposefully fell backwards onto her bed.

"Just relax, Lizzie. How about this? In two days' time, he'll be there but you can avoid him. The resort is big enough it shouldn't be hard", said Charlotte.

"Yes," said Lizzie jumping from the bed, "I can do that. Thanks Charlotte."

"Glad to help," murmured Charlotte, laughing.

Lizzie decided she was going to put the Darcy thing behind her and enjoy the resort as much as she could. After her massage, Mrs. Gardiner offered to pay for Lizzie to have a pedicure and manicure. Lizzie objected at first but Mrs. Gardiner insisted and as soon as it began, Lizzie's guilt was gone.

After a late lunch, it was pool time. For the majority of the afternoon, Lizzie and the Gardiners enjoyed the small waterpark that the resort had. The staff was helpful and friendlier than she had ever encountered. It was all so wonderful. Lizzie ended her afternoon at the indoor pool, floating in the water and feeling perfectly at peace. She wished Jane was with her simply because Jane would have been in complete and utter happiness as well.

The Gardiners left, making plans to meet upstairs in a bit. Lizzie finished swimming, and headed into the nicest pool bathrooms she had ever seen. She took her time, enjoying the complimentary lotions and the softness of the pool towels. She was more relaxed than she had been in a long time, and was planning to enjoy every moment of it.

As she exited the bathroom, she heard her phone and answered it.

"Hi, Lizzie," said Mrs. Gardiner, "My husband thinks he left his phone somewhere down there. Can you check for us?"

"Sure," said Lizzie, turning around and heading back into the pool area. She checked all around the table the three of them had occupied. "I don't see it."

"Hmm, well, I'll try calling it," said Mrs. Gardiner, "It's probably here, buried in my pool bag. Thanks for trying."

"No problem," and Lizzie hung up.

She was walking back past the bathrooms when she heard Dr. Gardiner's distinct ringtone, the Cheers theme—his favorite television show.

Lizzie stopped in front of the guy's bathroom listening closely. She was positive it was his. She looked around for a hotel employee and of course, for the first time today, not one was in sight.

Lizzie sighed, not knowing what to do. She could call the Gardiners, but she hated for Dr. Gardiner to have to come all the way back down just for this. She could wait, but who knew when someone would pass by again. Or, she could get it herself.

Opening the door slightly, she yelled in her most polite voice, "Is anyone in here?"

No answer. She tried one more time. "Is anyone in there? Hotel staff," she added. No answer. Lizzie took one last look around and still saw no one at all. Taking a deep breath, she went in. Immediately, she saw the phone under a bench. She grabbed it and marched quickly back out thrilled with her success. In and out in under 30 seconds and not a soul saw her.

Her relief came too soon. She exited the bathroom in a rush, and ran smack into someone on his way in. Looking up, she was paralyzed when she realized the person she ran into was none other than Dr. William Darcy.

Lizzie was not sure how long they stared at each other but it felt way too long. Problem was, she couldn't think of a single thing to say. She tried several times to start a sentence but nothing came out so it was likely that she looked like a fish struggling for air.

Finally, Darcy spoke, "Hi."

"Hello," said Lizzie awkwardly, "Do you mind moving slightly?" Lizzie was still half trapped in the guy's restroom and Darcy was blocking the way.

"Sure," he said side-stepping and allowing her to step out. Lizzie had half a mind to break into a sprint, but before she could he addressed her, his slight grin causing her face to redden slightly.

"What were you doing the guy's restroom?"

"The guy's restroom," repeated Lizzie suddenly realizing that not only had she run into him but she had also run into him as she had been exiting a guy's restroom. How had she managed to forget that small detail? Her face was a much brighter shade of red.

"I was getting Dr. Gardiner's phone," explained Lizzie as fast as she could, "It was missing, and I was looking for it and I heard his ringtone. Cheers, that's his favorite television show. I looked around for a hotel employee, but there wasn't one anywhere around," Lizzie said gesturing around and to her horror, there were now two employees in sight.

"They were not here before," said Lizzie, anger at herself replacing her embarrassment, as Darcy looked as though he was going to laugh.

"I believe you," he said looking as though he was enjoying himself too much.

"Yeah, and I also looked around for another male to ask. There was no one! Plus, I called into the bathroom to make sure. I even impersonated hotel staff."

"Wow."

"And you know the rest," said Lizzie now out of breath from talking so fast.

"Yes, I suppose I do," he said, and Lizzie shifted her weight. Why did this have to be so awkward? And why didn't he seem to be that feeling the awkwardness? Wait, why was he even here?

"You weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow," she blurted out, before she could think it through.

"I came a day early," said Darcy, for the first time looking awkward, "I didn't realize you would be here."

"I came with the Gardiners," explained Lizzie.

"Bingley is going to be here tomorrow," he said suddenly, and Lizzie knew exactly what he was trying to communicate without saying it.

"Jane isn't here," said Lizzie reassuringly, and then she wondered why she was comforting him. She studied him and that piece of information was definitely good news to him.

This exchange left both parties feeling awkward and Lizzie made her escape.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I need to go." And she walked away as quickly as possible. She could feel his gaze follow her all the way to the elevator.


	19. Chapter 19

As she rode in the elevator, Lizzie was bouncing with a nervous energy. Running into Darcy under those circumstances was as embarrassing as embarrassing gets.

She exited the elevator on her floor and quickly knocked on the Gardiner's door. "Lizzie," said Mrs. Gardiner opening the door and Lizzie handed her the phone. If only Lizzie could tell them how much trouble the phone had brought her.

"Thank you so much!" said Mrs. Gardiner, and she called over her shoulder, "You can stop looking, Lizzie found it."

A muffled cry of thanks came from Mr. Gardiner and Lizzie bid them farewell with Mrs. Gardiner saying they would eat dinner in an hour.

Lizzie, finally reaching the safety of her room, threw herself on the bed face first. This is where she would stay. There was no way she could ever chance facing Darcy again.

Fifteen minutes before Lizzie was supposed to meet the Gardiners for dinner, she made her way to their room. Her plan was to tell them she wasn't feeling well, so she didn't have to go to dinner in the hotel. And tomorrow morning, she could also use the excuse again if she needed it.

As she reached their door, she noticed it was slightly ajar, but she still knocked.

"Come in," called Mrs. Gardiner.

"Why was your door open?" asked Lizzie, walking inside. Her heart sank as the answer came into view. Darcy was in the Gardiner's room. He smiled at her, but she stood frozen in place.

"Hi Lizzie," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Darcy came up a little bit ago. You didn't tell us you had seen him."

"Oh, um," began Lizzie.

"That's my fault," said Darcy, cutting her off, "I prefer keeping a lower profile at these things. I don't want to get flooded, and I'm afraid my leave of absence has left a sea of job offers. I asked Lizzie to not say anything, so I can avoid those people for as long as physically possible."

Lizzie was surprised. He was covering for her. Most people would have jumped on that gravy train of an embarrassing story.

"You took a leave of absence?" asked Dr. Gardiner.

"I did."

"Mind if I ask why?"

"Just some personal things I wanted to take care of," said Darcy calmly, and Lizzie chanced a glance at him. He looked friendly and completely at ease. How was he pulling this off? She could barely stand to be in the same room as him, and she was constantly fidgeting with something to break the tension she felt inside.

"Well, I'm glad you're willing to take a break when you need to," said Dr. Gardiner, "I'm afraid I didn't learn that until much later in my career."

Lizzie had no idea what she was supposed to do. If she said something about being sick now, Darcy would probably assume she was doing it because of him. Which, of course, was exactly why she was doing it, but she didn't want him to know that.

"Why are you in your pajamas?" said Mrs. Gardiner.

"I like my pajamas," she said, and she noticed Darcy grinning. Why did everyone comment on her pajamas? "Besides, I wasn't feeling the greatest," she added unable to take Darcy's laughter. The last time they had interacted, he had asked her the same question about her pajamas.

"Allergies?" he asked, looking concerned, the laughter now gone. It took Lizzie a moment to understand his question, but then she remembered that was the excuse she had used to avoid him last time, when she was in New York City.

"Lizzie doesn't have allergies," said Mrs. Gardiner firmly, before Lizzie could speak, "Only Jane does."

Lizzie felt her cheeks turn warm from embarrassment as Darcy looked at her with comprehension, but he simply hid a grin by looking down at his shoes.

"Lizzie," said Mrs. Gardiner, who had already changed into something nice, "Darcy invited us to dinner. He has a reservation at the nicest restaurant in the hotel. Do you feel well enough to go?"

Panic began to flood through Lizzie, but with all three people's eyes on her, waiting for her to say something, there was little she could say.

"Sounds great," she said forcing a smile she did not feel, "I'll go change."

"Me too," said Darcy, "I'll meet you guys in the lobby."

Lizzie knew he was right behind her without having to look. She tried to walk away quickly, but she knew he was going to say something even before he cleared his throat.

"Lizzie," he said.

She turned and faced him crossing her arms.

"Look," he said, "I know you feel awkward."

That was putting it mildly.

"I want you to know, you don't need to," he said and Lizzie eyed him slightly surprised.

"I'm really hoping we can have a chance to start over," he said earnestly. "I know we've had our differences in the past, but that's where I'd like it to stay—in the past. I want us to have a chance to be friends."

Lizzie fidgeted slightly, not knowing what to say.

"Besides, it's way better than feeling weird and desperately trying to avoid each other by making up illnesses," he said in a teasing voice.

Lizzie opened her mouth to say something but…she couldn't think of a single comeback. She hated when that happened.

"It's alright," he said still smiling, "That's all I'm saying. You don't have to avoid me. Truly. But, if you'd still rather avoid me, I'll tell the Gardiners myself that you weren't feeling well and there will be no hard feelings."

Lizzie looked at him. He was being beyond nice. He had covered for her with the bathroom story, and he was now offering her a way of escape. He was making an effort for them to move on, which, Lizzie realized, was exactly what she wanted. She would much rather live with no awkwardness than have to cringe at every mention of his name.

"Thanks," she said smiling, "And I appreciate the offer to cover for me, but I agree with you about moving on. And moving on wouldn't be me pretending to be sick."

"Alright," he said smiling, "Then I'll see you at dinner," and he turned and left.

Getting ready was the absolute worst. Every outfit she tried either looked like she was trying too hard or wasn't trying at all. She wanted to look normal, but normal for her and Darcy was scrubs. There was a knock at the door, and Lizzie looked before opening. Mrs. Gardiner.

"Hi," said Lizzie, and she let Mrs. Gardiner in before going back into the bathroom where she was furiously trying to straighten her hair.

"My husband is on the phone, so I thought I would wait in here," she said and she looked at Lizzie closely. "You look wonderful, Lizzie."

"I'm still in pajamas," said Lizzie, laughing despite her stress.

"Clothes don't make beauty," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Speaking of clothes, what are you wearing?"

"I don't know," said Lizzie and then she suddenly had an idea, "Why don't you pick something out?" She trusted Mrs. Gardiner's choice much more than her own decision making at the moment.

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I had no idea what to wear, so good ahead," said Lizzie returning to the mirror. She had finished her hair and was now scrambling to put on makeup.

"Sure," said Mrs. Gardiner, heading to Lizzie's closet where all Lizzie's dresses were hung up. In a few minutes, both of them were heading to the lobby along with Dr. Gardiner. Lizzie's stomach was in knots.

Yes, she had somehow managed to look nice without looking over the top, but she still wasn't completely one hundred percent sure how to act around Darcy.

"Lizzie," said Mrs. Gardiner motioning her over out of her husband's ear shot and she took Lizzie's hand, "I just want you to know that Dr. Gardiner and I would be happy to pay for you tonight."

"Oh, that's okay," said Lizzie her cheeks red with embarrassment, "I can pay for myself."

"No, we insist," said Mrs. Gardiner, "I know this wasn't your first choice."

"Really, Mrs. Gardiner, I make good money at the hospital," said Lizzie firmly.

"I know you do honey, but I also know you and Jane are thinking about buying a house," she said, "And I don't want your budget to be ruined for that."

Lizzie was planning to protest more, but Darcy came into view and Mrs. Gardiner started talking to him instantly.

Lizzie was thankful she had a moment to collect herself. She was so used to seeing her colleagues in scrubs that it sometimes caught her off guard to see them in normal attire. But tonight, Darcy didn't need that advantage to take her breath away. He was looking quite sharp tonight, and Lizzie, for the first time ever, would agree with many of her female coworkers about his physical attractiveness.

Apparently, the moment wasn't quite long enough. Lizzie was torn from her thoughts to hear Darcy say, "You look nice, Lizzie."

Crap. Did he know Lizzie had been staring at him? "You too," she said quickly, looking away embarrassed.

"Right this way," said Darcy, leading them towards the restaurant portion of the hotel. "This is one of my favorite places to eat. You usually have to make a reservation ahead of time, but I know the owner and he got me a table."

"You must come here a lot," said Dr. Gardiner impressed.

"I did when I was younger. Now, it's mostly because our firm ensures them," explained Darcy, as they made their way up an escalator.

"Darcy De Bourg?" asked Mrs. Gardiner.

"Yes," said Darcy nodding, "The restaurant is just to our left here."  
The restaurant was beautiful and dimly lit, giving off an atmosphere that normally would have made Lizzie even more uncomfortable due to the company, but at the moment, it was somehow relaxing.  
Dr. Gardiner got Mrs. Gardiner's chair, and Lizzie was surprised but happy when Darcy also got hers.

"This is beautiful," said Mrs. Gardiner looking around and Dr. Gardiner agreed.

"Yes, and tonight's dinner is on me," said Darcy, firmly.

"No, Darcy don't be ridiculous," protested Dr. Gardiner.

"Please, it's my pleasure. It's nice to meet up with old coworkers. I insist, sir," he added.

"Alright," said Dr. Gardiner with a sigh.

They all ordered and Lizzie, at Darcy's insistence, got a steak. Normally, when someone else was paying, Lizzie went for something less expensive. Darcy seemed to know she was attempting to do that, so he ordered for her.

"How do you know I even like steak?" asked Lizzie indignantly.

"I seem to remember every time you worked three days in a row, you and Charlotte would go out for steaks," said Darcy smiling.

"Not every time," said Lizzie, as the Gardiner's chuckled, "We're healthier than that."

Darcy smirked as he took a drink of water and Lizzie gave him a playful, soft shove when the Gardiner's weren't looking.

"So, Darcy," said Mrs. Gardiner, "You grew up around here?"

"Yes. My father's law office was in New York City, but neither of my parents wanted to live directly in the city. We did have an apartment there for his late nights, but our real home was nearby."

"That's a lot of commute," said Dr. Gardiner.

"It was," said Darcy, "But my father did it for years and years. I think he liked that he could escape the city at the end of the day."

"He wasn't a fan of the city then?" asked Mrs. Gardiner.

"He loved the city, but I think my father also appreciated the country living as a break from the business of the city," said Darcy.

Their appetizers were served quickly and all the awkwardness Lizzie had felt quickly disappeared along with their appetizers. The Gardiners, and, surprisingly, Darcy, made for great conversation and fun.

"Collins was quite the character," said Dr. Gardiner cutting into his entrée which had just arrived, "I'm thankful for the policies he updated but I must say I was happy when he left."

"I think Lizzie's thankfulness for his departure far outweighs yours," said Darcy, and Lizzie glared at him.

"Why would that be?" said Dr. Gardiner.

"Because he was quite interested in her," said Mrs. Gardiner, "And not for her nursing skills," she added gleefully.

"Really?" said Dr. Gardiner, laughing himself silly, "My, how did that go Lizzie?"

"Let's just say it was an experience," said Lizzie, grimacing.

"She's being kind," said Darcy, "He even came asking me if I would give her a recommendation for the hospital in New York, because he was convinced she was going to move there to be with him."

"What?" said both Gardiners, laughing even harder.

"I wish it wasn't true," said Lizzie sadly. Not because of Collins, but because of Charlotte. Although Charlotte claimed to be happy, Lizzie still wondered if Charlotte would ever come to regret her decision about relocating and moving across the country for a man she hardly knew.

The thought still saddened her, and her face must have shown it. Darcy was looking at her and he cleared his throat, changing the subject, "Did you see the new research done on heart disease this last year?" he asked, and the Gardiner's immediately switched topics.

As Dr. Gardiner continued talking, Lizzie whispered softly to Darcy, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he whispered back, giving her a small sideways smile, while keeping his eyes on the Gardiners. Lizzie wondered if he had known what she was thinking. He must have, considering his quickness in switching topics. He kept surprising her. She couldn't remember him ever acting so thoughtful and pleasant around her before.

The rest of the dinner was enjoyable, and they all left complaining of full stomachs. Lizzie wanted nothing more than to climb into the jetted tub that awaited her in her room.

The elevator dinged, and it opened to reveal a nearly full elevator. Squeezing in, Lizzie scrunched into a corner, and found herself squeezed there along with Darcy.

It seemed like the elevator was stopping at every single floor, and Lizzie was only too painfully aware of her close proximity to Darcy. She desperately raced through her brain trying to think of a topic that would break the tension.

"We should have taken the stairs," she blurted out suddenly.

"You still could," he replied.

"How would I get there?" said Lizzie, nodding to the number of people blocking her way.

"You're right. You're stranded."

"Sucks," said Lizzie. Finally, a large group of people got off the elevator, giving them more space, and Darcy moved away. Lizzie let out the deep breath she had been holding in. They reached their floor and the Gardiner's and Lizzie exited but Darcy did not.

"What are you doing?" asked Lizzie, confused.

"I'm not on this floor," he said, answering Lizzie. "Thank you all for the wonderful evening. I'll see you at the conference tomorrow." The elevator doors closed before Lizzie could say goodbye and somehow this disappointed her. Shaking her head, she went to her room, bidding the Gardiners goodnight.

She quickly got water started in the jetted tub, and she slipped into her complimentary bathrobe. She wrapped her arms around herself, finally relaxing. Somehow, the night had turned into a pleasant one, instead of the disaster she had imagined.

The next morning, the Gardiners and Lizzie were having breakfast in one of the many cafes the hotel offered, when they spotted Darcy, who joined them.

"Good morning," he said, and they all greeted him.

"I noticed some great shopping places, Lizzie," said Mrs. Gardiner, showing Lizzie on her phone, "We should try some out sometime this week."

"I'd love too, but I don't think my suitcase can handle any more stuff," said Lizzie sadly.

"What's wrong with your suitcase?" asked Darcy.

"It cracked during our flight," explained Lizzie.

"Did you tell the airport?" said Darcy, frowning.

"Yeah, but their compensation doesn't cover the cost of a new one."

"They were quite rude about the whole thing," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"It'll be fine," said Lizzie assuring Darcy, "I'll just duct tape it and hope for the best."

"Before I forget to ask you again, when is your seminar?" asked Dr. Gardiner. Darcy replied that it was later that morning. Both Gardiners promised they would be there and Darcy asked Lizzie if she would be.

"Of course, she will," said Mrs. Gardiner, but Darcy ignored her, watching Lizzie.

"Yes, I will," said Lizzie, avoiding his strong gaze.

"Good. I need to run. I've got a lot to get ready," he said, eating his breakfast in record time. He stood and gave them a wave before disappearing out of the restaurant. Lizzie noticed several people's gazes following him as he left. She also noticed a group of women start giggling uncontrollably after he passed them. She snorted at this.

"What's up?" asked Mrs. Gardiner.

"Nothing."

They didn't see Darcy the rest of the morning, but they headed, along with a large crowd, into a large conference room. Lizzie knew immediately that it was going to be packed.

"Wow, why so many people?" she whispered to Mrs. Gardiner.

"My guess would be many hospitals are trying to recruit him right now," said Mrs. Gardiner, "His leave of absence has made several hospitals hopeful that he'll go somewhere new. And this is the perfect opportunity to try and recruit him."

Lizzie nodded understand, but then it hit her. "Wait, are you guys trying to recruit him?"

Mrs. Gardiner's smile was enough of an answer.

"Has that been the plan all along? Is that why you're here?" said Lizzie.

"We've debated coming for several years, but this was the perfect excuse to finally take the plunge and do it," she said.

Lizzie supposed they were right. Darcy was one of the top in his field and he was early in his career. Any hospital that had him could count on becoming a top program in the country. He was a buck worth hunting, but…was she the bait?

Lizzie studied Mrs. Gardiner carefully as she read the conference's handout. Was Mrs. Gardiner aware of Lizzie and Darcy's past? Was that the reason Lizzie had been invited? If that was true, Lizzie would certainly be angry.

"Hey," she said, leaning in, and Mrs. Gardiner followed suit, "That doesn't have anything to do with, err, me coming?"

"You?" Mrs. Gardiner said, confused, "Why would that have anything to do with you?"

"Well," said Lizzie, trying to word things carefully, "I worked directly with him."

"Well, I guess you could help us convince him, but to be honest, we're trying to be subtle in our attempts. We don't want to turn him off like a lot of these hospitals have," she said gesturing around her. "Plus, I never want to be like some of these places that are using cheap methods." She nodded at a group of people near the front. Lizzie stared and noticed several attractive women that were clearly dressing to impress.

Lizzie snorted, "They should know that won't work on him. Goodness, Caroline tried every day."

"Bingley's sister?"

Lizzie nodded, continuing to watch the women in the front row, and she watched them even more closely as Darcy made his entrance. They attempted to act casual, but every five seconds or so they would check their reflection or do a hair flip that was way too obvious.

Lizzie laughed slightly to herself, looking at Darcy who was studying his notes. He didn't give the women one glance as Lizzie knew he wouldn't. Besides, they weren't this type. His type was…well…her.

Lizzie shook her head violently to try and get that thought out of her head. Mrs. Gardiner gave her a funny look, "What are you doing? You look like a dog trying to shake off water."

"That sounds about right," agreed Lizzie. Maybe not water, but she was definitely trying to shake off something.

The seminar began and some man Lizzie didn't know introduced Darcy who was greeted with a large round of applause and several whistles.

Darcy seemed embarrassed by this at first but the moment he started speaking, all that disappeared. Lizzie was shocked. The man she had worked with for several months was completely gone. Instead of the uptight surgeon, she was seeing a confident, friendly man. Even his voice was different. Instead of the gruffness she was accustomed to hearing, his tone was now comforting and sincere.

Before Lizzie knew it, the seminar was over and people were up and moving. Lizzie hadn't heard a word of what Darcy had said.

"That was incredible," said Mrs. Gardiner, "I did not know he was such a good speaker. Don't you think?"

"Hmmmhmmm," said Lizzie, looking back up at Darcy who was watching her. Lizzie, quickly ducked out of his line of sight her cheeks reddening.

Lizzie enjoyed many of the seminars. She and Mrs. Gardiner attended several that were for nurses and there was lots of good tips and reminders along with abundance of information she already knew.

At the end of the day, she was ready for a shower. She spent a long time in the shower letting the different settings work out the knot she felt in her neck.

As she slipped into her robe, she walked into her room and stopped when she noticed something. There, sitting on her bed, was a bright blue suitcase. She must have missed it when she went straight for the shower.

Picking up her phone, she called Mrs. Gardiner, "Did you get me a new suitcase?"

"No. Why?"

"There's a new suitcase in my room," said Lizzie examining the suitcase, "And it appears to be brand new."

"It's not from us," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"Alright, thanks," said Lizzie and she hung up the phone. Lizzie loved the color. It was a bright blue color and it appeared to be of good quality. Had the hotel dropped it off? Maybe she could try calling the front desk. Lizzie picked up the phone and called for the front desk.

"Hello, I came back to my room and found a suitcase that doesn't belong to me. Someone must have put it here by mistake."

"Just one moment," said the clerk. "No, it was supposed to go to you. According to our records, the suitcase was dropped off here and we were asked to deliver it to your room. They said it was a gift."

"Did this person give a name?" said Lizzie.

"No, they didn't."

"Okay, thanks," said Lizzie a little irritated and she hung up the phone. Who in the world would get her a suitcase? Only two people knew about it in the first place and it wasn't them. Wait, someone else did know…Darcy knew. Lizzie had told him at breakfast this morning.

She called back Mrs. Gardiner. "Do you have Darcy's number?"

"Yes, I do. Do you need it?"

"Yes, thank you, can you send it to me?"

As soon as it arrived, she sent Darcy a text.

Lizzie: Did you get me a suitcase?

Darcy: Who is this?

Lizzie: Lizzie Bennet. Did you get me a suitcase?

Darcy: Wow. Why don't we start with how are you?"

Lizzie snarled and threw her phone on the bed. Why wouldn't he just answer the question? She looked down at her suitcase. She now had no doubt in her mind that Darcy was the one who bought her the suitcase. She couldn't accept it so she needed to give it back.

Lizzie: Where are you?

Darcy: I'm at the pool. Why?

Not bothering to answer, Lizzie changed quickly, grabbed the suitcase, and went out the door.

The pool was crowded today and Lizzie scanned the room looking for Darcy. She soon spotted him doing laps. She walked to the edge and set the suitcase down, tapping her foot and waiting for him to look up. He didn't.

She looked around spotting a beach ball. Instinctively, she picked it up and as he passed her, she dropped it on him. Or threw. But who could tell?

Darcy stopped quickly and looked up at her surprised and Lizzie felt a rush of red to her cheeks at the embarrassment of him not having a shirt.

"I guess I should have figured you were coming down here," he said looking up at her and putting his hands on the side of the pool, "Plus, who else would steal a child's toy to throw at me?"

"I didn't steal it, I just borrowed it," said Lizzie, but as she said this, there was a shriek from a small boy telling his parents that someone had taken his beach ball.

Darcy retrieved the ball and threw it back to her with a big grin. Lizzie handed the ball back to the boy, apologizing profusely to the parents.

"Anyways," she said, returning her focus to Darcy, who now had pulled himself out of the pool and was headed towards his towel, "Did you get me this suitcase?"

"Does it matter?" he said, drying himself off, and Lizzie was careful to keep her eyes fixed on his face and nowhere else.

"Yes," said Lizzie, determinedly.

"Then, yes, I got it for you."

"Why?"

"Because you needed one, and the airport should have replaced your bag the minute they broke it," he said calmly.

"Yes, they should have, but that doesn't mean you need to get me a new one," said Lizzie quickly.

"I was just trying to be nice, Lizzie," he said, "Is that a problem?"

Lizzie felt trapped. Darcy and she had agreed to be friends, but the idea of accepting a gift from him, especially a fairly expensive one, still felt strange. The trouble was she didn't quite have the nerve to tell him that. Especially when he worded it the way he did.

"It's just, err," she said, "I'm guessing it was expensive."

"No, it wasn't," he said.

"My expensive or your expensive," said Lizzie, "Because those are two very different things."

"It wasn't that expensive," he said, confidently, "Plus, It's your birthday in a few weeks right?"

"How did you know that?"

"I know a lot of things," he said with a smile, "Including your favorite color is blue. Which is why I got that color."

Lizzie felt a slight tingling in her stomach that she ignored, and she felt Darcy's eyes on her, but she didn't know what to say. "I don't know what to say," she said honestly.

"How about thanks?" he said crossing his arms, "And don't try to give it back."

Lizzie debated this and was going to protest, but his intense gaze erased all arguments that she had. "Fine. Thank you. Really, it's very nice of you considering I wasn't sure how I was going to get all of my stuff home."

"You're welcome," he said softly. "Kind of funny, this reminds me of when we were at the cabin and I interrupted your swimming. I guess it's only fair for you interrupt me," Lizzie felt her heartbeat pick up as she remembered that night. Frankly, she had been angry at him for that, but now she looked back at it with a slight chuckle.

It truly hadn't been that long ago, and yet it felt very distant. Suddenly, she was convinced every single person in the pool area was watching them and all her nervousness came rushing back. She cleared her throat, "I need to go."

"Okay. Are you free for dinner?" he asked.

"What?" gasped Lizzie.

"You and the Gardiners?" he said, calmly. Crap. Did he do that on purpose?

"Yes. I think so. Err, I don't know for sure though," said Lizzie.

"Fine. Call me and let me know," and he walked away, heading towards the locker room.

Lizzie watched him go. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap.

Did he have to look so good in a swimsuit? Had he always been in that good of shape and she simply hadn't noticed?


	20. Chapter 20

Lizzie relayed Darcy's message to the Gardiners, who readily agreed to his dinner invitation. Lizzie also asked them to call Darcy back to let him know. She needed to think without hearing his voice and feeling his presence.

As she ran her hand through her hair, she eyed the suitcase Darcy had gotten her. It was a wonderful gift…but it would be a constant reminder for her of him. Was that bad? Lizzie didn't know as she shoved the suitcase into the corner, hoping it would somehow blend into the wall to help her think straight.

For a long time, she had hated the man. Now, she didn't know what she felt towards him, but one thing was for sure—it wasn't hate.

Walking to dinner, Lizzie felt wonderful. Mrs. Gardiner and her had enjoyed the luxury of a pedicure and manicure which helped ease the tension that had been brewing in Lizzie's shoulders. As she rode in the elevator with the Gardiner's, Lizzie felt her phone vibrate with a new text, from Darcy.

Darcy: Bingley arrived…he wanted to come to dinner, is that a problem?

Lizzie: No, of course not. It will be wonderful to see him.

It was the truth. She had not been mad at Charles for some time, and even when she had been angry, it had been mainly with Darcy. All that anger had vanished into embarrassed memory.

When they walked into the restaurant, Charles and Darcy were already seated at a table. Charles rose from his seat waving at them. His smile lit up his whole face and Lizzie felt a sudden change in her stomach. She remembered that smile as being the source of her sister's happiness. Suddenly, Lizzie was beyond nervous as she walked forward, feeling all of Jane's emotions weighing on her shoulders.

"Hi Charles," said Lizzie, trying to not let the nerves show.

"Lizzie," he said, happily pulling her in for a hug, "It's so good to see you."

"Likewise," said Lizzie feeling slightly better. Charles had always had such a natural flow with people, and his behavior did calm Lizzie's nerves slightly, but not enough to stop Lizzie from squeezing her hands.

"Please sit," said Charles pulling out a seat for her.

"Thank you."

"When did you get in Charles?" asked Mrs. Gardiner.

"Just today," he said happily, "My sisters are also here."

"Oh," said Lizzie, "Caroline is here?" she said, careful to not show her dislike of Caroline in her voice. She was positive Darcy had noticed though, by the way he looked down at his plate with a slight grin.

"Yes," said Charles, "Along with my other sister, Louise, and her husband."

"Are they staying at the hotel?" asked Dr. Gardiner.

"Yes," said Charles, "But I believe they are shopping at the moment. They love New York shopping."

"Don't most women," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"I'm surprised Caroline isn't here. I thought she had some interests here," Lizzie said slyly, and she met Darcy's gaze, who glared at her, knowing exactly what she meant. It was a small payback for his grin.

"I guess medicine has always interested her a little," said Charles, completely missing Lizzie's meaning. Mrs. Gardiner had a knowing face on, and she laughed slightly in her drink.

They ordered quickly, and Charles kept Lizzie talking by asking her all about what she had been up to lately. Lizzie responded happily but at the same time, she thought through her answers carefully. She was careful to not include Jane's name, but as the conversation went on, Lizzie began to suspect that was exactly what Charles was hoping to hear, based on the questions he asked.

Lizzie felt sorry for him. He wanted to know about Jane, but yet he felt like he couldn't ask about her. Maybe Lizzie could mention her somehow…but at the same time, what could she say?

Jane was doing better but she was not 100%, and that was something that Lizzie did not want Charles to know. It would be a betrayal of Jane's trust to disclose anything.

Someone approached their table, greeting Charles, and giving Lizzie a moment to breath. His questions had been getting harder to answer without including Jane's name, and she needed a minute to think. Taking her chance, she excused herself and walked out to the bathroom.

Once inside, she wet her face slightly. She hadn't anticipated in seeing Charles that she would have to dodge so much information. Maybe, she should just slip Jane's name in somewhere and be done with the whole thing? What would Jane want her to do?

As soon as Lizzie thought this, she knew. Jane would want her name to stay out of it. And that's what Lizzie would do. She would honor Jane's wishes. So, taking a deep breath, and checking her reflection, she left the bathroom.

But waiting for her right at the drinking fountain was Darcy.

"Hi," he said giving her a deep look.

"Hi," said Lizzie, a little confused at his presence.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because I sprung Charles on you…and I know that must put you in an awkward position," said Darcy insightfully.

Lizzie sighed. "Kind of, but it's not your fault."

"How is it not?"

"Fine," said Lizzie grinning, "It's completely your fault, Darcy. I guess you owe me a huge favor," she said, teasing, and she motioned for him to step over so she could get a sip from the drinking fountain. He did so still watching her with a contemplative face.

"You know," he began, "You probably could talk to him about her." Clearly, it was not lost on people that Lizzie had been skillfully avoiding her name.

"No," said Lizzie wiping her mouth, "Jane wouldn't want that."

Darcy silently nodded, and Lizzie joined him in leaning against the wall by the drinking fountain. The silence that followed was surprisingly comfortable and Lizzie felt herself lean towards Darcy, practically touching him. "It certainly is strange to be having deep conversations with you and hiding information from Bingley," she said.

"I'll bet," he said, his hand brushing hers. Lizzie, surprised by the warmth spreading through her, looked down at their hands which were barely inches apart from each other. She felt his gaze on her face, and knew if she looked up to meet his gaze, their faces would be inches apart. The crazy thing was, the idea didn't alarm her. Just as she looked up to meet Darcy's gaze, a voice rocketed them apart like a gunshot.

Caroline Bingley was walking towards them and Lizzie let out a small snort. Of course, Caroline had been the one to interrupt. Not that there had been anything to interrupt.

"Hello, Lizzie," said Caroline, walking right into Lizzie's personal space which she didn't appreciate in the least. "I can't believe you're here." She said this with a surprised look towards Darcy. Lizzie looked at Darcy, who was now father away from Lizzie than he had been a moment ago. Or maybe Lizzie had pulled away. She wasn't sure.

"I'm here for the conference," explained Lizzie.

"I see," said Caroline. "I came here for that as well," she said attempting to convince them, but Lizzie knew exactly why Caroline was here. And for the first time, instead of laughing at Caroline's advances towards Darcy, Lizzie was bothered by them.

Realizing this, Lizzie said, "I'm going to get back to the table," and she hurried off before either of them could say anything. Charlie's company was far better than his sister's.

Once they were all seated, Mrs. Gardiner and Caroline held a lot of the conversation with Caroline dominating. She was even friendly towards Lizzie which threw Lizzie off at first. But every time Caroline spoke to Lizzie, Lizzie was fully aware that Caroline's eyes would flick to Darcy. That was her game. Her kindness was only a ruse to get attention from Darcy.

Darcy either completely missed this or he simply ignored it. Who could tell?

Lizzie tried to hide her laughter behind her glass as she watched Darcy flinch when Caroline addressed, him but Charles caught her. "What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing," said Lizzie, quickly attempting to remain passive in her facial expression. After dinner, most people were ready to turn in, for which Lizzie was thankful, having repeatedly swallowed yawns in an attempt to conceal her sleepiness.

Before she and the Gardiners could leave, Darcy spoke up, "I was wondering if you would like to come to my home tomorrow? I have several people coming over, and I'd love for you guys to join."

"You should come," said Charles excitedly. "I'll be there," he said looking at Lizzie pleadingly, "Plus Caroline, and Louise and her husband."

Lizzie looked to the Gardiner's who looked quite pleased. They agreed quickly and Lizzie gave Charles a reassuring nod that she would be there.

As she was climbing into bed, Lizzie heard her phone buzz.

Darcy: Hey. I'm hoping you're okay with meeting my sister. She'll be there too.

Smiling, Lizzie quickly replied.

Lizzie: Absolutely. I'm excited to meet her!

Darcy: Thanks. She's excited to meet you too. Goodnight, Lizzie.

Georgie had heard about her. That's what that text meant. Lizzie fumbled a farewell before setting an alarm and plugging her phone in to charge. She went to sleep that night with a big smile on her face.

The next morning, Lizzie awoke with a spring in her step. She was up earlier than she needed to be and she hummed happily to music as she showered, changed, and ate a granola bar. When she stepped into the hallway to meet the Gardiners, Mrs. Gardiner gave her a puzzled look.

"What's with you?" asked Mrs. Gardiner.

"Just happy," said Lizzie shrugging, and trying to hide the smile that was echoed through her body, "It's a beautiful morning." It was a beautiful morning with the promise of a wonderful day.

"This is quite exceptional," Mr. Gardiner said, speaking to both Lizzie and Mrs. Gardiner as they drove out of the city, "It's a rare treat to see the Darcy home."

"Why's that?" asked Mrs. Gardiner.

"They are a private family in many ways," said Dr. Gardiner, "I've spoken with some of the surgeons from New York. A few of them went to medical school with him and were close friends and still they were never invited to the estate."

"Seems strange," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"It would seem so," said Dr. Gardiner, "But let's consider that Darcy's parents were very busy people and the time they did have, I'm sure they wanted to spend it together as a family. We can relate to that, can't we dear?"

"We certainly can," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Anyways, it's quite a drive from the city. I'm surprised they lived so far away from their work."

"Darcy did say they had an apartment inside the city just for that reason," spoke up Lizzie, "I'm sure they spent quite a bit of time there."

"Can't imagine growing up like that," said Mrs. Gardiner, "I love just having our house. It's my home. It's where I feel most comfortable. I can't imagine trying to have more than one."

"Dear, we do own a cabin," said Dr. Gardiner.

"I know," said Mrs. Gardiner, "But that's different. That's our getaway. I would never want to live there. No, our home is our home and that's where I want to be the majority of my time."

"I agree," said Lizzie, "I have to admit your house seems too large for me to feel completely comfortable in."

"Well, you might be in for a shock today, Lizzie," said Dr. Gardiner looking at her and smiling in the rearview mirror.

"Why is that?"

"I have a feeling we are about to see a house that goes beyond anything that any of us have seen."

Lizzie would soon discover how correct he was in his statement.

"It should be around here somewhere," said Dr. Gardiner, slowing down and pulling out his phone where his GPS was giving off instructions. Lizzie unbuckled her seatbelt, leaning forward to help. They seemed to be out in the middle of nowhere. It was a beautiful nowhere, but Lizzie couldn't see any houses.

But then, just as they crested a hill, Lizzie's breath was taken away. There it stood.

Pemberley Estate, as it was called, was the most beautiful structure Lizzie had ever seen. It stood right on a lake, and trees covered the grounds, giving it a country feel while also maintaining elegance and grandeur. The property seemed to stretch for several miles and Lizzie secretly hoped she could walk around the woods.

All three of them seemed to have lost their breath for a moment at the sight and they all looked at each other in bewilderment. Finally, they pulled up to a gate which closed off the property. They were at a loss at first on how they were supposed to open it, but Mrs. Gardiner saved them by spotting a button.

They waited a few moments and Lizzie sensed they were being watched. Sure enough, a camera moved focusing on them which unnerved her slightly. Then the gate opened and all three of them took a deep breath before pulling down the lane.

The house had looked big before, but standing next to it only increased its magnificence and size. Up close, it was obvious how the house was rich in design and quality.

"This is spectacular," breathed Mrs. Gardiner to Lizzie, "I can't believe houses like this exist."

"Me neither," said Lizzie shaking her head unable to take it all in. She gazed at Pemberley. This was where he had grown up. This is where Darcy called home…and it could not be more different than her childhood home.

"We should go in, right?" said Dr. Gardiner, "I mean, we can't just stand her gawking."

"I agree," said Lizzie, "But I'm not knocking on the door."

"Me neither," agreed Mrs. Gardiner.

"Why?" said Dr. Gardiner.

"It's too grand…I'm scared to touch it. It probably cost more than my car," said Lizzie and Mrs. Gardiner agreed, practically pushing her husband towards the door, urging him to be the one to knock.

With a smile, and quite fearlessly, Dr. Gardiner pointed out they didn't need to knock, and he rang the doorbell.

The door opened, (somehow it even sounded fancy) and a maid, Lizzie guessed, greeted them.

"Come on in," she said warmly, and Lizzie immediately felt at ease with the friendliness of the woman, "I'm Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper." Lizzie remembered Darcy mentioning their housekeeper in his letter. This woman must be the same one.

"Can I take your coats," she said, and they all thanked her. Lizzie took a moment to look around. The house was incredible in way she couldn't describe. While it was obviously expensive, it was different than Katherine De Bourg's house had been. This house was warmer and felt more natural. Lizzie knew, Katherine's home was a way to flaunt her wealth to others. This though, this was a home.

Mrs. Reynolds showed them to a patio that overshadowed the lake and a feast was already being prepared by a man at a grill station. Mrs. Reynolds introduced her husband, and he too greeted them with excitement and a warm smile.

The Gardiners fell into instant conversation with him. Dr. Gardiner had several questions about the architecture of the house. Lizzie laughed. Her father would have asked the same questions. What was it with older men and architecture?

Venturing off on her own slightly, Lizzie left the patio and made her way slowly towards the lake. The sun was shining so brightly that it gave the water a beautiful glow, making Lizzie wonder if she should have brought a swimsuit.

She stayed there for several minutes taking in the beautiful sights. She even allowed herself to skip stones into the water. She had loved skipping stones as a child, but it had been years since she'd had the chance. She looked back towards the house where the Gardiners were still happily talking with Mr. Reynolds.

Wow. Lizzie thought about Darcy and laughed to herself. A few months ago, if she had made a different choice, she could have been dating the guy who owned this house.

Suddenly, Lizzie heard a sound coming from the woods. Feeling awkward, she debated sprinting back to the safety of the patio, but that would look strange. Before she could make up her mind, Darcy appeared from the trees and stopped suddenly when he spotted her.

"Lizzie," he said smiling and walking towards her.

"Hi," said Lizzie, suddenly feeling very shy and conscientious of her hair that was whipping slightly with the wind.

"Have you been here long?" he said, reaching her, "Sorry, if we kept you waiting."

"No," said Lizzie, struggling to find words, "We just got here," she said nodding towards the Gardiner's who were still on the patio.

"We were taking a hike," he said wiping a small amount of sweat from his forehead.

"We?"

"Yeah, Charles, Caroline, Louisa, John-"

"John?" asked Lizzie.

"Louisa's husband," explained Darcy, "I don't really know him that well myself."

"Ah."

"And my sister Georgie," he added, and Lizzie nodded slowly unable to think of anything to say. That had been happening a lot lately and Lizzie was unsure why.

"It appears you lost them on the hike," she said, trying to cover for her lack of words.

"Oh, I went on ahead," he said, "They were taking a long time and I wasn't sure when you would get here. Well, Caroline was taking a long time…" he said smiling slightly and Lizzie smiled, thinking of Caroline trying to hike. Most likely, she had worn heels and was unprepared for any such activity.

"So you abandoned your guests to die in the woods," said Lizzie, teasing.

"It's the harsh truth of the woods," he said mockingly serious, "Every man for himself."

"Truth."

"Any ways, in all seriousness, Georgie is with them. No one will die," he said once again wiping his forehead, this time using his shirt. "I might go change, I got this shirt filthy."

"Sure," said Lizzie quickly, "I'll go too." Blushing and horrified at her choice of words, she added, "I mean, I'll go to the patio."

"Sure," said Darcy, with the barest hint of a smile on his face.

Lizzie joined Mrs. Gardiner at a table where she was sipping lemonade. "This is wonderful, Lizzie. Try some."

Lizzie did try some and its sweet taste relaxed Lizzie's embarrassment. Very soon, Charles and his sisters along with a man Lizzie assumed was the husband of Louisa, came out onto the patio. Charles greeted them enthusiastically and introduced them to his other sister and her husband. Louisa looked very similar to Caroline and judging by her tone, they were very similar in character.

Caroline greeted Lizzie quickly, and then went and sat a table. Lizzie watched her pull off one of her heels and moan about its filth. Caroline must have noticed Lizzie's grin, because she gave her a sour look. "What?"

"Nothing," said Lizzie quickly, and she looked away not wanting to give Caroline an excuse to snap at her. She started talking with Charles, but she suddenly needed to use the restroom. She asked Charles, who agreed to show her.

"This house is pretty big," he said showing her down a hallway and opened a door revealing a bathroom.

"Thanks," said Lizzie, "I think I can find my way back."

After using the restroom, Lizzie walked back into the hallway, but her eye caught a large picture that was hanging in one of living areas. Checking to make sure no one was around, Lizzie inched closer to examine it.

Lizzie smiled at a much younger Darcy with braces. She would have to tease him about that later. Her eyes were drawn to his sister Georgiana. She was a beautiful little girl with a big smile. Lizzie's scanned other pictures and she spotted one where teenage Darcy was carrying Georgie in his arms. It was adorable, and just as Lizzie leaned closer to it, "That's one of my favorite pictures."

Lizzie stumbled and turned to find an older version of the girl in the picture, Georgiana.

"I'm Georgiana," she said, in a timid voice, shyly walking forward holding out her hand, "But you can call me Georgie."

"Hello, I'm Lizzie."

"I know," she said shrugging, "Darcy has mentioned you."

"Oh, he has?" said Lizzie, nervously fiddling with her hair.

"All good things," Georgie said, reassuringly, and she smiled at the picture Lizzie had been studying.

"It is a really great picture," said Lizzie, "It makes me jealous."

"Why?"

"I don't have any brothers," said Lizzie, "I only have four sisters."

"Four sisters?" asked Georgie, "I would have liked to have at least one."

Lizzie studied Georgie as they talked, attempting to be subtle. Georgie was a beautiful girl, but Lizzie could tell she was just as nervous as Lizzie was herself, judging by the way she kept moving her hands.

"I heard you're amazing at playing the piano," said Lizzie, attempting to put them both at ease.

"Amazing is an exaggeration," blushed Georgie, looking down at her toes, "I mean, I love to play. And I've been accepted to Julliard."

"Wow! That's awesome," said Lizzie. She remembered Darcy and Caroline mentioning that Georgie was applying there.

"I waited longer than most to go to college," said Georgie, "But, I think I'm finally read to do so."

"Who cares if you waited," said Lizzie reassuringly. Lizzie knew exactly why Georgie had waited—personal reasons involving the infamous Wickham—but Georgie didn't know Lizzie knew that. "The most important thing is that you're going."

"You sound like Darcy," said Georgie.

"Good advice is good advice." Just as she finished, Charles poked his head in, "I was worried you got lost."

"No, just talking," said Lizzie, "I met Georgie."

"Great. I think everyone has met then. The meal outside is ready. Care to join us?" and he motioned for both Lizzie and Georgie to take his arm. They did so and he escorted them back to the patio.


	21. Chapter 21

Lunch was quite memorable, for all the wrong reasons, as Lizzie found herself monopolized by a seemingly endless stream of chatter from Louisa. Lizzie was quite thankful when the meal ended, and quickly agreed when Georgie offered to show her the stables they had on the property. Lizzie, thrilled with the idea, practically skipped with excitement. A rustic building came into view. It was surrounded by fences on all sides except one.

"My mother loved horses so having them here was a must," said Georgie, opening the large barn door into the stable. They walked through the building until the horses came into view where they grazed near the fence.

"I love horses," said Lizzie walking straight to the fence and putting her face right up on the fence.

"Do you ride?" asked Georgie.

"Only at fairs my parents took me too," said Lizzie laughing, "So, not really. I don't have real experience."

"We could go riding," said Georgie, earnestly but Lizzie shook her head.

"Thanks, but I'm okay just looking for now."

"Maybe next time," said Georgie kindly and Lizzie gave her a sideways glance. Would Lizzie even be back here again?

"Which one is yours? Or are they all just yours?"

"The white one," said Georgie pointing, "Her name is Mezzo."

"Mezzo?" asked Lizzie, confused at first, but then it dawned on her, "Wait, like Mezzo as in music?"

"Yes," admitted Georgie quietly, "She has the most amazing trot and it always reminded me of music."

"So, you named her Mezzo," said Lizzie, "It's perfect."

"Do you play any instruments?"

"Well," laughed Lizzie, "I played piano for a while but I'm no good anymore."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"No, it is," said Lizzie, "Trust me. Your aunt Katherine made me play for her and she will tell you how much I disappointed her."

"She always makes me play for her," moaned Georgie, "I'm always so terrified."

"She seems to have that effect on people."

Georgie nodded. "Would you like to feed them?" came a voice from behind them. They both turned and saw Darcy walking towards them with a bucket of carrots.

"Yes," breathed Lizzie, anxiously reaching for them, "So, which horse is yours, Darcy?"

"Why do you call him Darcy?" asked Georgie, holding out a carrot to Mezzo, who had bee-lined straight for her.

"Long story," said Lizzie, "What do you call him?"

"Will," said Georgie, "That's his name."

"Lizzie's never called me that," said Darcy to Georgie.

"Yup. And it would be weird to change it now," said Lizzie, "So, which one is yours?" she said, repeating the question to Darcy.

"The chestnut one coming over," said Darcy, reaching for a carrot.

"What's his name?"

"Flash," said Darcy, and Georgie laughed and leaned over Darcy to talk to Lizzie.

"The Flash as in the super hero, Darcy was in a phase."

"A phase," laughed Lizzie, as Darcy protested, but she talked over him, "What were you? A comic book geek?"

"Were? He still has them," said Georgie. "In fact, they're still in his room. All nicely organized in some bins in his closet.

"First off," said Darcy, raising his voice in defense, "I just haven't taken the time to do anything with them. Plus, several are actually rare and worth something," he explained, but Lizzie was shaking with laughter.

"A comic book reader," said Lizzie, overjoyed, "This is a whole new side of you, Darcy."

"Whatever," he said, "I loved comic books. That's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Loved?" said Lizzie, questioning him, "Are you sure it's not present tense?"

Georgie giggled, and Darcy rolled his eyes, ignoring Lizzie, and headed back to the stable. Both girls followed him, laughing, all the way back to the house.

By the time they got back to the house, Darcy had joined in the laughter and all three had aching sides. They found the rest of the group hanging in one of the family rooms. Caroline eyed them suspiciously and began talking in undertones to her sister.

"What were you doing?" asked Charles.

"We were teasing Darcy," said Lizzie.

"About his superhero phase," finished Georgie.

The whole group laughed, and Darcy found himself defending himself and repeating his explanations. He gave Lizzie a teasing death glare, to which Lizzie responded with a humble bow. The conversation moved on and Lizzie took some time looking at the grand piano that was in the room.

"Darcy gave it to me last year for my birthday," said Georgie, walking over.

"It's a beautiful instrument," said Lizzie, "My sister Mary would kill for this."

"You should play," said Georgie.

"Georgie," joked Lizzie, "Don't turn into your aunt."

"Never," said Georgie, looking horrified, "Only play if you want to."

"I'll play some if you join me," said Lizzie, "But I warn you Miss Julliard, your skill far outweighs mine."

They both began softly fooling around, but Lizzie was quickly mesmerized by Georgie's skill. Even in fun, Georgie was exquisite in her technique and talent. They were having such a good time when Caroline joined them by the piano.

"She's amazing," she said, putting her head right in between Lizzie and Georgie, "Right, Lizzie?"

"That she is," said Lizzie scooting over, and giving Caroline's head a bit of room.

"I'll have to come visit you at Julliard, Georgie," said Caroline, and Lizzie was surprised when Georgie's face showed a mixture of annoyance and a little bit of fear, as she seemed to be desperately trying to think of an excuse. In that moment, the resemblance between Georgie and Darcy was uncanny.

"Who knows," said Lizzie, attempting to save Georgie, "College is very busy. She may not have time to receive many visitors."

"Yes," said Georgie, giving Lizzie a grateful look, "We'll have to see Caroline."

Caroline shrugged, but kept going, "Why don't we go shopping tomorrow, Georgie? Just the two of us! We could get manicures and pedicures and just have a nice girl's day."

"I don't know, I think have plans already," said Georgie not meeting Caroline's eye, "Lizzie and I may go riding," she said, with a nod at Lizzie.

"Plus, I thought you wanted to attend the conference, Caroline," added Lizzie.

Caroline's eyes narrowed at Lizzie and she stood up and walked away, finally. Letting out a deep breath, Lizzie exchanged a knowing look with Georgie.

"Lizzie," said Caroline, turning back and walking right up to the piano again with a smug and determined expression. She put her elbows on the piano and smiled sweetly at Lizzie as Georgie continued to play.

"Yes, Caroline?" said Lizzie trying to be nice even though she felt annoyance.

"How's your family?"

Surprised by the inquiry, Lizzie answered, "They're just fine, thank you."

"And how's that George Wickham of yours?" Caroline said, in a sneezy loud voice. Lizzie's insides turned to ice as Georgie abruptly stopped playing, her face turning white. Shocked, Lizzie watched Darcy slowly rise from his chair, his eyes burning.

"You're still dating him, right?" said Caroline, smiling victoriously, enjoying the effect of her words.

"No," said Lizzie, giving Georgie a sideways glance. "No, we're not."

"Shame," said Caroline, taking a drink of water. The room had grown quiet and tense, but Lizzie tried to smooth things over, hoping most people had missed the exchange.

"Why don't you play this?" Lizzie said kindly, handing music to Georgie, "I want to hear you play something that is worthy of your skill."

"Um, sure," said Georgie, clearly not sure of what to say, but she began playing the piece. It was rough at first, but after she got past the first few measures, the music was glorious.

Lizzie left the bench to give Georgie space and focused on Darcy. He didn't meet her gaze at first and Lizzie could tell he was angry. Not at her, but at Caroline. She waited until he met her gaze and she gave him a sad, sorry smile. He responded with a shrug Lizzie knew to mean not your fault.

Georgie's smile returned gradually after playing through the song, and at that time, the Gardiners announced they needed to leave because they were meeting up with some old friends. Lizzie's mood had sunk considerably. Georgie now seemed much more conscious around her. It wasn't surprising. Girls who had dated the same guy didn't necessarily get along, and this situation was far more complicated than most of those. Lizzie just wanted a chance to explain but she couldn't. She wasn't supposed to know the whole situation.

Lizzie didn't even get a real goodbye from Darcy, which irritated her as well. It wasn't her fault Caroline had opened her big mouth. She felt awful. She was sure her chances of being friends with Georgie were gone now.

As soon as Lizzie was back in her hotel room, she collapsed onto her bed with a pounding headache. She had already told the Gardiners that she would remain behind at the hotel as they went out with their friends. Not feeling particularly social, she was happier staying behind.

She grabbed some medicine from her purse and closed her eyes hoping her headache would disappear. She awoke, unable to recall having fallen asleep. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock. It was past seven. She hadn't intended to sleep that long, but maybe she had needed it. At least her headache was gone.

The problem was she was hungry. Getting up, she walked to the folder the hotel had left in her room. She found the room service options and began to scan. She was in the mood for a simple burger, and to her luck, the hotel didn't offer any basic burgers. Just fancy fare that would not satisfy the craving she felt.

Sighing, Lizzie realized she would have to leave her room. She went into the bathroom and got rid of her raccoon-makeup eyes. Just as she was finishing brushing her hair, she heard her phone ring. Picking it up, her heart stopped when she saw the caller—Darcy.

Taking a deep breath, she answered. "Hello."

"Hey, how's it going?" He sounded cheerful. Lizzie had been expecting him to be mad.

"Umm, okay. Why?"

"Just wondering."

"Yeah," said Lizzie, feeling slightly awkward because she didn't know what to say, "I was just about to head out," she said grabbing her purse with her free hand and heading to the door.

"Good. Guess I have perfect timing."

"Why?" said Lizzie and she opened the door…to see Darcy.

"Because I was coming to see you," he said into the phone before hanging up. Lizzie followed suit with her phone and she stared at him, confused.

"I didn't like the way we left things today," he explained, "I figured you were here…so, I took the liberty of coming up."

"Wow," said Lizzie smiling at him, "Impressive, maybe slightly creepy."

"Not really, considering I just saw you today."

"Sure," said Lizzie, "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"First, where were you going?"

"Oh, just around," said Lizzie, hoping her stomach wouldn't give her away.

Darcy studied her, "Are you hungry by any chance? Want to get some food?"

"How did you know?" said Lizzie surprised.

"Took a shot in the dark," he said, shrugging.

"Fine. But only if its burgers," said Lizzie, "And I mean a good burger. Not these vegan monstrosities they have here."

"Sure thing."

When they reached his car, Lizzie had to stop herself from smiling stupidly when Darcy opened her door for her. Chivalry was alive and Lizzie was loving every minute of it.

They drove a little ways before Darcy pulled into a fast food place and Lizzie squealed with delight. "Yes! Some cheap, awesome burgers," she said fondly, "Thank you so much."

"No problem, do you mind if we go through the drive through?"

"Not at all."

They ordered, and just as Lizzie was reaching into her wallet, Darcy made her put it away. Embarrassed slightly, Lizzie felt her cheeks redden and she tried to catch her reflection in his rearview mirror without him noticing.

After they got their food, Lizzie was expecting him to go back to the resort but Darcy turned a different direction.

"Where are we going?"

"Do you mind if we make a stop? It's got a great view."

"Sure," said Lizzie happily, as her stomach soared with anticipation. She tried hard to not show it on her face while also trying to read his face. He gave no clues. He seemed as calm as rain.

Darcy drove them up a hill and the roads zig zagged back and forth until they were near the top of a small mountain. Finally, Darcy turned into a pull off and there he parked, and got out with his food. Lizzie followed suit and looked down on a beautiful view. It was already dark so the city's lights were bright, giving it a gorgeous glow.

"This is amazing," said Lizzie, "Where do we sit?"

"On the car," said Darcy as though it was obvious and he slid right onto the hood.

"Okay," said Lizzie unsure of it a little but was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the whole thing felt.

"So," said Darcy taking a bite of his burger, "I wanted a chance to talk to you without interruptions. This seemed like a good spot."

"Yeah," said Lizzie, "I wanted to talk to you too. I didn't have a good chance at the house. I'm so sorry, Darcy."

"Sorry," said Darcy looking confused, "What do you have to be sorry about?"

"Uh, Wickham."

"That's not your fault, Lizzie."

"Yes, it is. I was warned and yet, I dated him anyways. Plus, I feel awful about Georgie. We hit it off so well, but now she must hate me," said Lizzie gloomily.

"What? Why would you say that?"

"Because of…well…I dated Wickham."

"So?"

"That makes things awkward," said Lizzie, munching on her fries.

"It did in the moment, but believe me," said Darcy taking a big drink, "Georgie doesn't hate you. In fact, she asked me to ask you to hang out tomorrow. She wants to take you horseback riding."

"Really?" said Lizzie shocked.

"Why is that surprising? You guys hit it off."

"I just thought…I don't know. I thought her knowing would make things weird between us. Plus, she doesn't even know everything. I found myself wishing today that I could tell her the whole story."

"Your wish has been granted," said Darcy, "I told her everything today after you guys left."

"Everything?" questioned Lizzie, "Like everything?" Lizzie was referring mostly to their relationship, but she also wondered if Darcy had talked about their entire history.

"Everything," said Darcy, "From the moment I got to Chicago."

"That makes things easier," said Lizzie.

"Truth be told, Lizzie. Georgie is the last person to be upset with you about Wickham. In fact, she is the most sympathetic," said Darcy, "She understands more than anyone about being deceived by him."

"I guess she would."

"So, no reason to feel weird around Georgie," he said, "And you're coming tomorrow!"

"I guess so," said Lizzie, feeling a swoop in her stomach as Darcy smiled at her.

They talked for a long time and Lizzie noticed herself leaning further and further back onto the car. Darcy did so as well. Before Lizzie knew it, they were both laying back on the car looking at the stars. It was a wonderful, freeing feeling and Lizzie hadn't felt as happy in a long time.

"So," she said, nudging Darcy's arm, which was much closer to her than before, "I have a serious question I want to ask you."

"Okay."

"Why didn't you become a lawyer?"

Darcy laughed and sighed, "I grew up thinking I was going to be a lawyer. I was in high school and already applying to colleges before I changed my mind."

"What made you change it?"

Darcy was quiet for a moment. "My dad."

"Really?" Lizzie was shocked. She hadn't been expecting that.

"Yeah, one night he took me out to dinner. He began telling his life story, which I thought I knew. He talked about how his father had been a farmer, and how he didn't want to do that, but he was afraid to tell his father. Finally, one day he told him. My grandfather was thrilled my dad wanted to go to law school."

"Good parents want their kids to pursue their dreams," said Lizzie.

"Yes. My dad wanted me to know…I didn't have to be lawyer simply because everyone in my family was. I could be whatever I wanted to be. That dinner freaked me out. I had always thought I was going to be lawyer. I hadn't considered anything else."

"Really? Nothing?"

"Never," said Darcy firmly.

"So, how did you decide?"

"I was on a field trip. One of the science field trips was to visit the morgue."

"That's quite the field trip," said Lizzie, "But I guess, practical for high school."

"Anyways," said Darcy laughing slightly, "Somehow, we were granted special permission to watch a surgery for twenty minutes. I was in awe. I thought it was the most incredible thing I had ever seen. And right then and there. I decided I was going to be surgeon."

"That's so awesome! It's amazing that your dad was so supportive," said Lizzie, feeling slightly envious.

"Not everyone in my family liked it," said Darcy, "My aunt Katherine practically threw a fit when I told her."

"Why would it matter to her?" asked Lizzie, picturing Katherine De Bourg in a rage. It wasn't hard to picture.

"She and my dad had planned on me taking over the firm," explained Darcy, "When I decided to go to medical school, that plan went out the window."

"Hmm," said Lizzie, "My family was thrilled when I decided to go to college. That's an accomplishment for me when I'm compared to my cousins."

"What made you decide to be a nurse?"

Lizzie for the first time felt awkward, and she sat up. Darcy, sensing he had asked the wrong thing, sat up quickly as well. "What's wrong? What did I say?"

"Nothing," said Lizzie shaking her head, "It's just…my reason isn't amazing. I didn't have a moment like yours where I knew exactly what I wanted to do, simply because it was my dream."

"Okay," said Darcy, not understanding the problem.

"Well, I know you probably won't understand this…but I became a nurse…because it pays well," said Lizzie, embarrassed and unable to reach Darcy's eyes.

"Why is that embarrassing?"

"Well…you have money…and you did something because you had the passion for it. Instead of just doing something because it pays well."

"You have a passion for medicine," said Darcy firmly, "I've seen it."

"I do," said Lizzie, "I'm lucky. Because I ended up loving what I do, versus just doing it for the paycheck."

Darcy cleared his throat, "Can I ask a personal question?"

"Sure."

"Are you still in debt? I know you had some after college."

"No," said Lizzie, "I'm out of debt now. It didn't take me long with my job, especially with the frugal habits I had from growing up."

Darcy nodded and he laid back down on the car, "I'm spoiled. I've never had to worry about money."

An awkward silence followed. Lizzie truly didn't know what to say to that. She would never know what that was like. Having so much money that you never had to worry again. She couldn't even wrap her mind around that.

Suddenly Darcy let out an annoyed sound, and Lizzie turned to him confused.

"What's wrong?"

"I hate money." There was silence for a moment before Lizzie burst into uncontrollable laughter. Darcy watched her, confused, but Lizzie literally couldn't stop laughing as she laid back down on the car.

"I'm sorry," she said in-between her laughs, "It's just…that was the last thing I expected you to say."

Darcy grinned and within seconds, he was laughing right alongside her. After they finished laughing, Lizzie asked him, "Why do you hate money?"

"I guess I don't hate money, I just hate talking about money. People always feel weird around me. And I can tell you were weirded out the minute I was honest that I've never had to worry about it," he said, looking slightly dejected, "There seems to only be two responses when it comes to people knowing about my money. One-they love me for the money. Two, they hate me because of it."

"I don't hate you," said Lizzie quickly, "I don't."

He turned to her, looking surprised, and Lizzie realized what she had just said out loud. She didn't hate him. She used to…but now she didn't. In fact, she was pretty sure that her feelings were…quite different.

Darcy was watching her closely, and suddenly, he reached for her hand. Lizzie jumped slightly.

"Do you mind?" he asked looking at the stars.

"No," said Lizzie quickly. She hoped her hand wasn't too sweaty or dry. Thank goodness she had put lotion on.

Darcy didn't say anything else. He was just staring up at the stars. Lizzie was in turmoil.

He was holding her hand! Why was he holding her hand? What did this mean? Why wasn't he saying anything?

Lizzie looked down at his hand. It was warm and firm. And despite her questions raising through her brain, Lizzie knew one thing. She liked it. She loved the feeling of his skin on hers.

He was holding her hand! She liked it! What did this mean? What was he thinking?

Darcy's phone rang breaking up the silence and Lizzie was actually thankful for the interruption. As soon as Darcy released her hand, she wiped it on her shirt hoping he didn't notice. She realized quickly it was Charles on the other end and he was asking if Darcy could help him with something. Darcy agreed and hung up, and another awkward moment came.

"Um," he began, "So I need to head back."

"Yeah," said Lizzie, getting up and off the car quickly, avoiding his gaze, "No problem. I should probably be getting back as well."

They rode back in silence but Lizzie's brain was anything but silent. She liked him. There was no denying that. All too soon, Darcy pulled up to her resort and when he stopped, Lizzie was at a complete loss as to what to do. They had had a moment back there or…was it her imagination?

Not wanting to make things weird she said, "I should get going," and she opened her door to get out. Right before she stood up, she felt him grab her arm.

Turning back to him and closing the door, she gulped, "Yeah?"

"Lizzie?" he said, looking nervous and he leaned over. Lizzie's breath vanished as she felt his lips meet hers.

Gone were any questions. Gone was any doubt as to how she felt about him. This kiss. This kiss was unlike anything she had ever felt. She had kissed other guys, but no kiss had ever felt this genuine and loving. Lizzie's whole body was warmed with his touch.

He pulled away after a moment and Lizzie met his eyes. His questioning eyes. He was still unsure. Lizzie decided she would erase that doubt for him as well. Closing her eyes, Lizzie kissed him.

This kiss was slightly more adventures than the last one, and Darcy's hand ended up in her hair somehow. They continued like this for a moment before a car honked behind them, splitting them apart. They were in the entrance unloading after all.

Slightly out of breath, Lizzie looked at Darcy who looked embarrassed as well.

"I should go," said Lizzie, once again opening her door.

"Lizzie," he said laughing, "Wait."

"Yeah?"

"I'll be here tomorrow morning at 8 to pick you up, if that's okay?" he asked, smiling and rubbing her hand. She looked deep into his eyes and she knew, she would never sleep tonight. She would be up all night. Waiting. Waiting for him to pick her up.

"I'll be waiting," she whispered. Then, she got up and left the car.


	22. Chapter 22

Lizzie closed the door of her hotel room, finally releasing the deep, happy sigh she had been holding inside.

She replayed the last few minutes in her mind, and was filled with a swooping sensation in her stomach that reminded her of her first roller coaster. That was kiss was better than anything she had ever experienced. And strangest of all, Darcy had given it to her.

How that had happened? Only a few short weeks earlier, she had hated this man. Yet now, all she could think about was jumping forward in time until the morning so she could be in his presence again.

This week, his whole image had changed in her mind. He had gone from a completely arrogant, selfish man to a generous gentleman in such a short time. Had she always been wrong about him? Was it possible that she had misjudged him?

Yes. Yes, it was, because now, all Lizzie could do was lay back and think about him.

Lizzie thought she would never sleep, but she finally managed to drift off with a smile on her face. At first when she heard her phone, Lizzie assumed it was the alarm she had set for the morning. Reaching over, she sat up when she saw Jane's name. Looking over at her hotel alarm clock, she saw it was around three in the morning.

"Hello," said Lizzie sleepily.

"Lizzie," came Jane's voice, rich in urgency.

"Yeah, what's wrong? Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes, I do. Lizzie, I have something I have to tell you."

"Are you okay? Is something wrong?"

"I'm fine," conveyed Jane, "But, dad got a call today. It's about Lydia."

Lizzie gulped, "Lydia?"

"She's missing, Lizzie," said Jane, letting out a small snob, "They can't find her anywhere."

"What do you mean missing?" asked Lizzie, climbing out of bed and turning on the light.

"She never came back to the apartment where she and her friend were staying. They've called her phone nonstop and she's not answering. Finally, after a day of no contact, they called dad."

"After a day? Why didn't they didn't call sooner?" said Lizzie angrily.

"I'm not sure on all the details," said Jane, "We only got here a few hours ago."

"Got here? Are you in Vegas?"

"Yeah, the whole family flew down here last night."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"To be honest, dad didn't think at first it was going to be a big deal. He thought they were overreacting and that she had just gone to a party and spent the night somewhere. But, now that we're here…this is clearly something else. She took her bag, Lizzie. She packed everything. She wasn't planning on coming back to the apartment anytime soon."

Lizzie groaned and sank to the floor. Stupid, stupid Lydia.

"We called the police and they are looking for her, but there's little they can do right now."

"What about her phone?"

"They tried that. It must be turned off," said Jane, "They can't get a signal. Lizzie, there's something else I haven't told you."

"What?"

"Her friend, the one, um, she was staying with, did say she has been spending time with a guy."

"Perfect," said Lizzie, "Of course, Lydia would be silly enough to do anything with a guy."

"Lizzie…"

"What?" snapped Lizzie.

"Lizzie, the guy…we know him. It's…it's Wickham."

Lizzie felt herself go numb. Wickham. George Wickham. The same guy she had once gone on a date with…and the same guy Darcy's sister Georgie had been involved with.

"How?" was all Lizzie could muster.

"I don't know," said Jane quietly. "Somehow, he was here. Her friend says they met up with him at a party and Lydia and him have been joined at the hip ever since."

Anger surged through Lizzie's entire body. She felt her hands shaking and she let out a small scream, alarming Jane.

"Lizzie? What's wrong?"

"Are you kidding me, Jane? You know what's wrong! She's sixteen! And he's in his late twenties," said Lizzie, raising her voice in frustration.

"Just wait, Lizzie. You don't know the circumstances. Her friend didn't say for sure they were in a relationship."

"Come on, Jane. You know better than that. He's done this before. Georgie was young too. Remember, Darcy's sister."

"Yes, I remember," said Jane, "But we don't know for sure that's where she is. And even if she is with him, it's not for sure that they, uh, did anything."

"Jane," moaned Lizzie, "This is Lydia we're talking about. And Wickham. Of course they're having sex. He's done this before. And I'm sure it's not the first time for her either. It's not like he'd be hanging with her for her amazing personality."

"Lizzie."

"Tell me I'm wrong, Jane."

"Don't assume the worst."

Baffled at her sister's determination to be positive, Lizzie kicked the bed in frustration and both were quiet for a moment. Lizzie needed to calm down and Jane needed to give Lizzie a moment.

"Lizzie," said Jane breaking the silence.

"Yes?"

"I, um," Lizzie heard Jane take a deep breath before continuing. "Can you come?"

"Come?"

"To Vegas," sobbed Jane and Lizzie's protective instincts soared, hearing the grief in her sister's voice. All the anger she was feeling changed into determination. She would go. She would help her family. They would find Lydia.

"Yes," said Lizzie, instinctively, "I'll find the first flight out this morning. I'll get there as soon as I can. Just send me the information on where you guys are staying."

As soon as Jane hung up, Lizzie raced for her laptop. Not a single airline had a flight to Vegas available until nearly noon. She finally found a complicated set of 4 flights, with the first leaving at 6, but then she realized that it would end up getting in even later than the direct flight she had already found. She even called the airport to see if there was any way they could help, but with no luck. Finally, she booked the later morning flight. She texted Jane her flight info.

Now, all she could do was wait.

It was agonizing. She knew she should get more sleep, but she wasn't the least bit tired. All she could think about was Wickham. He was the most deceitful, sadistic man she had ever met. Here when she had first met him, she had believed every story he told her, practically feeding out of his hand.

And with a sob, Lizzie remembered she had brought him to her home…where he had met her sisters. Lizzie had introduced them.

Sobbing was all she could do now. How had she been so stupid?

Her heart stopped when she heard a slight knock at her door. Who would be knocking at this time in the morning? Panicking, she tiptoed to the door to look through the peephole.

She was relieved when she saw Mrs. Gardiner standing outside the door. Lizzie opened it quickly.

"Hi," she said, letting her in.

Mrs. Gardiner walked into the room, "What's wrong? I heard crying."

"So many things," said Lizzie, shaking with tears. And she collapsed into Mrs. Gardiner's protective hands. Her hug was not unfamiliar to Lizzie but yet, this particular hug was different. It was a comforting hug. And somehow, Lizzie felt safe…it was a mother's hug. Lizzie could sense this and it had the immediate comfort that only a mother's hug could give.

So, in that moment, Lizzie allowed herself to slip into the hug. And its rewards were amazing, she felt courage rise from inside her. Taking a deep breath, she whispered dreaded words into Mrs. Gardiner's shoulder, "My sister."

"Start from the beginning," said Mrs. Gardiner, kindly.

A long explanation ensued in which Lizzie relayed the whole situation to her, but it didn't stop there. This was a meltdown. Lizzie's emotions were all over the place and she ended up telling the complete history of the last year to Mrs. Gardiner. Lizzie covered everything. Charles. Darcy. Collins. Charlotte. Wickham. Jane.

By the time she was done, Lizzie was all cried out. It felt so good to expose every emotion Lizzie had felt in the last year. True, she had always had two friends in Charlotte and Jane but being completely honest with them was never possible simply because they would have been hurt by Lizzie's brutal honesty.

When Lizzie finished, Mrs. Gardiner sighed, "Wow. That is A LOT. You've had quite the year."

"Hasn't been a year yet," said Lizzie.

"Still," she said, handing Lizzie a tissue, "I can't believe everything you've been through."

"Yeah," said Lizzie, "And I used to think everything would get easier when I got older."

"A vicious lie," said Mrs. Gardiner and they both laughed, Lizzie laughing through her tears.

"Everything will be alright," said Mrs. Gardiner, "You'll find her. And you'll make everything right."

"I doubt it," said Lizzie, "How can I possibly fix this? I'm to blame. I should have been more open with my sisters. I should have warned them."

"And betray Darcy's secret?" said Mrs. Gardiner, "I think either way you would have felt guilty."

Lizzie was suddenly reminded of Darcy's plan to pick her up that morning. She would obviously have to cancel.

Mrs. Gardiner helped Lizzie pack everything up in the new suitcase Darcy had given her. This didn't help Lizzie's state of mind. She would have to give Darcy an explanation, and telling him would be humiliating on a whole new level.

She grabbed an early breakfast right as a hotel coffee shop opened. The food and coffee helped give her some courage, and, hoping it wasn't too early, she found some privacy in the lobby of the hotel and called Darcy.

"Hi," he said, sounding out of breath. This threw her off, Lizzie had been expecting sleepiness. Now awake and alert.

"Hi," she said not knowing what to say.

After a moment's pause, "Lizzie? Are you okay?" he said his voice tinged with concern. Lizzie shook her head, she had said one word. How had he picked up on her mood so quickly?

Tears started to fall down her face, and she let out a small sob.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at the hotel," said Lizzie not letting herself reply with a DUH however she was tempted.

"I know, I mean where in the hotel?"

"Lobby."

"I'll see you in a minute."

"Wait, you're here?" she asked, but he had already hung up which left her no choice but to stand awkwardly and wait.

He appeared moments later. His hair was damp meaning he had probably been swimming. When he reached her, he took both her hands and Lizzie felt comfort in his touch.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Lizzie looking around the lobby, "Can we got somewhere private?"

"Sure," he said, "Is your room free?"

"Yes," she said turning, and still holding his hand, she headed towards the elevators.

As soon they reached her room, Lizzie let out a few more tears. She inwardly cursed at herself. She most definitely did not want Darcy to see her cry, but it was too late for that. He was so gentle and sweet. Offering words of comfort, he reached for a box of Kleenex. Not taking his eyes off of her, he waited patiently for her to explain.

Finally done blowing her nose, Lizzie cleared her throat, "I'm so sorry, Darcy. I don't usually lose it like this."

"Lizzie, it's okay," he said, squeezing her hands, "What's wrong?"

"I got a call from home," said Lizzie, dreading each word. The last thing she wanted to do in the world right now was tell Darcy the truth. Embarrassment and guilt were already Lizzie's friends. Shame didn't need to be included in the set but it was inevitable in telling Darcy.

Darcy was watching her closely. Feeling like she needed some space, she slowly wiggled her hands away, "My sister, Jane, told me such dreadful news. I can't believe it. My youngest sister, um," said Lizzie her voice once again breaking, "I'm sorry, I can't seem to control myself."

Darcy handed her another Kleenex, "Lizzie. Don't worry about it."

"I'm still sorry. I won't lose it again," she said determined to make it true. Starting again, she took a deep breath, "My youngest sister is missing."

"Missing?"

"Yes, she went with a friend to stay with a relative in Vegas. They called my family the other day to inform them that Lydia never returned to the apartment. She had packed her bag, and she was gone."

"Did they call the police?" said Darcy quickly.

"Yes," said Lizzie, "But that's not the worst part."

"What could be worse than her missing?" said Darcy confused.

Lizzie dreaded her next words. Looking Darcy deep in the eye, she spoke them slowly, "My sister had been spending time with a certain man. Her friend thinks they ran off together. The man they suspect…is George Wickham."

Darcy's whole demeanor changed as soon as Wickham's name was spoken. He leaned back in his chair, his face void of expression. He looked at the floor not saying a word. Lizzie was amazed at how quickly he went from the Darcy she had known these last few days, back into the impersonal man she had worked with. Despite her best efforts, Lizzie felt a new round of tears well up and fall down her cheeks.

Darcy handed her the Kleenex box again, but he was different this time. He didn't meet her eyes and any look of concern was gone from him. And somehow, he managed to feel much further away than before.

"I could have prevented this," said Lizzie through her tears, "I introduced them. I knew what he was, and yet I didn't say a word."

"You didn't know in time. You can't blame yourself," said Darcy, his expressionless voice robbing any comfort from his words. He stood and walked across the room to the window. Lizzie watched him go, waiting for him to say something else, but he didn't.

"My family has already gone to Vegas," said Lizzie rubbing her eyes, "I'm flying to join them this morning. I got the earliest flight I could."

Darcy still didn't say anything. He kept his back to Lizzie and Lizzie…she knew why. Something had changed between them. She could feel it. One moment, he had been comforting and loving. But as soon as Wickham's name was mentioned, he had changed towards her. He now wasn't even looking at her. Getting up, she threw her Kleenex away, and Darcy finally turned.

"I'll let Georgie know you won't be able to go horseback with her," he said.

So it was Georgie she had been supposed to be spending time with today and not him. Was he going to act like last night hadn't happened? Lizzie focused on his expression, looking for some sign of intimacy from him, but she saw none. If he was going to be distant, then she would too.

"Thanks," said Lizzie, shaking her head and removing any emotion, "You'll have to tell her sorry for me. I'm sorry it couldn't work out. Some things just don't work out," said Lizzie, feeling as though she was relaying two messages in one statement.

"I should go," said Darcy, and he started walking towards the door, "You probably need to hurry to make sure you don't miss your flight, and I'm just delaying you."

Before leaving he turned. Lizzie once again searched his face but he was nothing but stone. "I hope you have a safe trip."

"Thanks," said Lizzie stiffly, "Goodbye, Darcy."

He stared at her for a moment but then he was gone.

Lizzie stared at the door feeling his presence leave her whole body. Not only was Lydia lost to her, Lizzie had just lost someone else.

She took a cab to the airport despite the Gardiner's offer to drive her. She appreciated it, but she was anxious to be out of their sight. She couldn't take any more of the words of affirmation, or their insistence on everything turning out all right. They didn't know that. She knew they were simply trying to make her feel better, but it was just making her feel worse.

She was cranky. And she wanted to continue being cranky without hurting her friends. It was better that she was on her own right now.

Thankfully, everything went perfect at the airport. Also, thankfully, the flight was beyond quick and Lizzie, despite her bad mood, was appreciative. But, as she exited the plane, she tripped ripping the bottom of her jeans. The day couldn't be any worse.

Walking and muttering under her breath at undeserving people, Lizzie walked to the baggage claim. Just as she was grabbing her suitcase, she heard a beautifully familiar voice. Jane.

Turning, Lizzie saw her beautiful best friend and sister racing towards her. Not caring what anyone thought, Lizzie dropped her suitcase and ran to her sister and threw her arms around her.

They stayed that way far too long that almost everyone was gone from baggage claim. Finally, they separated, each wiping away their tears with their sleeves. They didn't have any Kleenex's, Lizzie having used up her supply.

"How's mom?" asked Lizzie, picking up her suitcase.

"She's not doing very well," said Jane honestly, "But she's excited to see you."

"She is?" said Lizzie surprised, "She really must be taking this hard."

Lizzie couldn't enjoy any of the sights of Vegas despite never being there before. All she could see was place after place in which Lydia could get herself in major trouble.

"What was dad thinking in letter her come here?" said Lizzie to Jane, "This is a party/gambling city. Nothing else."

"There are other things besides partying and gambling," said Jane.

"Name one."

"I don't know," admitted Jane, "But I'm sure there are other things. Plus, Lizzie, you need to be careful with your attitude."

"My attitude? That's the concern right now?"

"Yes," said Jane, "That comment you made about dad. Trust me, he doesn't need any of your comments. He feels bad enough."

"We'll see," said Lizzie muttering.

"You will see," said Jane with a firmness unnatural to her.

When they reached the hotel, Lizzie put her emotions in check. She didn't want to send Mrs. Bennet over the edge and give her something to be angry with Lizzie about.  
But that was the least of Lizzie's worries.

"Lizzie," squealed Mrs. Bennet, the minute Lizzie and Jane were in the room. Lizzie slowly crossed the room to where her mother lay in a heap. Empty Kleenex boxes surrounded Mrs. Bennet along with several empty food containers. It was obvious by her appearance that she had done little besides sit in the bed and cry.

Still, Lizzie gave her mother a deep hug and she felt Mrs. Bennet's nails dig into her shoulders.

"Thank goodness you're here," Mrs. Bennet wailed, pulling Lizzie down on the bed next to her, "You have no idea what I've been through. I need you to talk some sense into these people that are convinced that this is Lydia's fault."

Lizzie narrowed her eyes and chanced a glance at her sisters, Mary and Kitty, who were also in the room. Neither of their expressions changed much with Mrs. Bennet's words and Lizzie strongly believed they had already heard a similar discourse.

"What do you mean?" asked Lizzie calmly.

"The police came asking questions about Lydia," explained Jane.

"Yes," said Mrs. Bennet blowing her nose, "And they did an awful job. They asked these horrible questions. It's like they were trying to make her out to be a bad girl, which we know she's not."

"What questions did they ask?" asked Lizzie positive she knew at least some of them. She had seen police interview patients at the hospital before and knew a lot of the standard questions.

"They asked if she had done this kind of thing before," said Mrs. Bennet, grunting, "As if our precious girl would run away."

"Mom, they asked about Lydia's habits such as drinking or dating," said Jane, speaking over her, "Those are important questions."

"I don't understand what that has to do with finding her," said Mrs. Bennet.

"They're trying to paint themselves a picture of Lydia," explained Lizzie, "And mom, you did tell the truth right? You told them Lydia has been drinking and partying."

"I did," said Jane as Mrs. Bennet let out a large sob.

"They are thinking Lydia just ran off," said Mrs. Bennet, "I know my Lydia. She would never ever run off. They are wrong about this."

Lizzie gazed sadly at her mother who was now hiccupping with tears. Moving away, Lizzie gaze met Jane's and Lizzie gestured to the bathroom. Jane followed as Kitty and Mary attempted to comfort Mrs. Bennet who was being very dramatic.

"Denial at its finest," said Lizzie, as soon as the bathroom door was shut.

"I know," said Jane, "Trust me. Dad was cutthroat honest with the cops. They know everything she has been up to."

"Where is dad?"

"He's out searching for her himself. I've hardly seen him since we've been here."

"Alone? Shouldn't someone be with him?"

"He didn't want that," said Jane.

"I'm going to go find him," said Lizzie making her way towards the door but Jane grasped her arm.

"Lizzie, call him first. You have no idea where he is and I don't think it's wise to walk around a city you hardly know."

"Fine, I'll call him."

Mr. Bennet didn't answer and Lizzie was forced to wait in the hotel room with her sisters and Mrs. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet continued to cry and moan all day thus keeping them all from doing anything else but worry constantly.

Finally, just after 10:00 at night, when Mrs. Bennet had finally drifted off, Lizzie got a message from her father saying he was in the hotel bar. Patting Jane on the back and showing her the text, Lizzie disappeared quietly out of the hotel room.

She took the elevator, and made her way to the bar. She was walking as fast as she could but stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted him.

In a way, Lizzie did not recognize her father.

Mr. Bennet's eyes had never been so sunken and his skin had never been so pale. He had not spotted her as his gaze was fixed on his glass which he swirled around. He had never been a drinking man and Lizzie was surprised to see a glass in his hand now. All the frustration and anger she had for him disappeared from her…and all she felt was pity. Pity for her father.

She walked to him and silently took the seat next to him at the bar.

He didn't acknowledge her right away but when he did, his voice was just as dead as his appearance, "My Lizzie."

"Dad," choked Lizzie.

"It seems we're reunited sooner than expected," he said taking another drink.

"Dad," said Lizzie grabbing the glass from him, "Now is not the time to drink."

He gave her a sharp look and held it for a moment before shrugging it away. "I suppose it's not going to change anything."

"No, it won't," said Lizzie, returning the glass to the bartender.

"You," he said, turning in his chair, "You knew. You predicted this."

Lizzie hesitated wondering if she should say something and he continued on not giving her the chance to speak.

"You came to me this summer," he said in a mockingly, cynical voice, "You told me. If I kept letting her have her way, she would be lost. And here she is…lost!"

Lizzie hung her head unable to look at him, "I'm not glad to be right. If you think that's why I came down here, you're wrong."

"It's one of the few times I'll allow you to rub your correctness in my face willingly, Lizzie," he said, giving her a sad smile. "You should take advantage of it."

"No," said Lizzie sharply, "I will not do that."

He gazed her lovingly and then patted her on the back, "That's my Lizzie. Always behaving above your age. You and Jane. I don't know how I got so lucky with you two. Goodness knows, I didn't deserve to have such incredible daughters."

"Dad," said Lizzie, trying to cut him off but Mr. Bennet only spoke louder.

"I failed. I failed as a parent. I did what was easy and convenient. I let my daughters and wife do as they pleased so I wouldn't be bothered. And now, one of them is going to ruin her life in way she'll never recover from because I refused to inconvenience myself by taking the time to teach her."

"Dad," said Lizzie, feeling tears come as she saw the sorrow in her father's eyes, "This is not your fault."

"Lizzie," he said, turning and taking her hands, "Let me for once feel the blame I deserve. I'm not afraid of it. It will pass. And probably sooner than it should."

All was quiet for a bit and Lizzie let her head fall onto her father's shoulder. After they had both collected themselves, Lizzie broke the silence, "Do you have you any idea where she is?"

"No," he said, shaking his head, "I assume she's with Wickham."

Lizzie felt a pang of guilt sweep through her and she got up off her father's shoulder.

"Now I know why you are no longer together with him," said Mr. Bennet, chuckling slightly, "You sensed something off about him, didn't you? You're always so good at reading people."

His words hit Lizzie like a ton of bricks, and she turned away from her father so he couldn't see the hurt she knew her face was displaying. How could she tell him she had been so blind? He had it so wrong. She was just as much to blame as he was seeing as it was her fault Wickham had met Lydia in the first place. Unable to tell him, Lizzie suggested they turned in for the night.

Lizzie knew she wouldn't sleep a wink that night. She gazed out of her hotel window and counted Jane's heavy breathing next to her. She couldn't shake the guilt and shame that had made its way into Lizzie's subconscious.

She remembered meeting Wickham. She remembered him and her texting. All this time, she had been infatuated with a wolf in sheep's clothing. All this time, she had assumed the wolf was Darcy. How wrong she had been.

Wickham was not worthy to be compared to Darcy.

Darcy. She had tried to keep her thoughts away from him. His cold and distant manner had hurt her deeply, and she didn't want to admit, even to herself, how deep that hurt went. Besides, she doubted he was thinking about her in the same way she was. He was probably congratulating himself on his narrow escape.

At one point, he had liked her. At one point, he had wanted to be more than friends. And now. Now, he would never have anything to do with her. Now that Lizzie had invited Wickham into her life and her sister's life so willingly, Darcy would never look at Lizzie the same way.

It was her own fault. It was her own fault she had lost him. That thought reverberated through her until her exhaustion finally overcame her, and she slept.


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning, the whole family, besides Mrs. Bennet, was eating breakfast in the hotel breakfast area when Mr. Bennet was called away to the police station. Lizzie and Jane both wanted to go with him, but Mr. Bennet instructed them to stay and help their mother.

Disappointed, they both returned to their breakfasts. Waiting was painful. Finally, after half the morning had passed, Lizzie's phone dinged with a text asking for both Lizzie and Jane to come to the station. Panicked and also hopeful, Lizzie and Jane quickly got a taxi.

When they arrived, Mr. Bennet met them, and brought them into an office where he closed the door.

"She has been found," said Mr. Bennet, and both Lizzie and Jane sighed with relief, but the relief faded as quickly as it had arrived as Lizzie examined her father's face.

"What's wrong? Is she okay?"

"She's fine," said Mr. Bennet. "She's quite cheerful actually."

"Where were they?"

"They found Lydia in a hotel. A person working there recognized her picture and called the police. Apparently, she'd been there ever since she disappeared."

"And Wickham?" asked Lizzie, trying to figure out how he was going to fit in this situation. Her stomach dropped at the thought of interacting with him.

"He wasn't there when the police came," said Mr. Bennet, "They still have no idea where he is and I don't know if they will keep looking. He's done nothing wrong, technically, since it was Lydia's card."

"Don't you mean your card," muttered Lizzie under her breath. Anger at Wickham quickly replaced her queasiness.

"But, they know he had been there," said Jane.

"Of course they do. The hotel staff identified his picture, although it wasn't really necessary. Lydia has answered every question happily."

"Happily?" said Lizzie, feeling sick, "Dad, how bad is it?"

"Let's just say there are details she is only too happy to share, and it's something I never want to hear about any of my daughters," said Mr. Bennet with distaste.

"She didn't," said Lizzie, a different type of queasiness returning at the thought of having a conversation like that with her father. "And what is she saying about Wickham now?"

"She's says they're in love," said Mr. Bennet sadly. "She's waiting for him to come back. She said he's due back anytime in here. She doesn't realize…" His voice died away, but Lizzie and Jane didn't need him to say any more. They knew what he couldn't bring himself to say.

Lydia was just like her mother. She was living in denial. She was unable to admit to herself that she was nothing to Wickham except an easy thrill. It would hit her at some point. Maybe. Hopefully.

"So, this all seems like it's going to be okay," said Jane. "I mean, she's alright. And that's the most important thing."

"Yes," said Mr. Bennet, "We are blessed that she is safe and found." He paused slightly. "The problem is the money."

"Money?" asked both Jane and Lizzie at the same time.

"Lydia and Wickham managed to build up quite a few bills throughout Vegas. It's quite amazing how much damage they did in such a short amount of time," said Mr. Bennet. "And it was all on Lydia's card or in her name. She's insisting it was her idea to use the card."

"Which leaves us," said Lizzie sadly.

"Which leaves me," said Mr. Bennet, firmly. "I'm going to go the front desk to find out how much longer it will be. I'll be right back."

As he shut the door, Jane flung herself towards Lizzie. "Lizzie, I know they don't have money."

"I know," said Lizzie, "We need to find out how much it is."

"How?"

"We could try asking."

At their request on his return, Mr. Bennet simply handed them a sheet of paper from his pocket. Lizzie read it, then had to look again. She could hardly believe her eyes. It was far higher than her worst fears.

"How did they spend so much money?" whispered a worried Jane.

Lizzie simply shook her head and handed Mr. Bennet the paper back. They excused themselves to take a short walk and clear their heads. As soon as they were out of earshot, Lizzie spoke to Jane in a hushed tone, "You've got to be thinking the same thing I am."

Jane shook her head, but not in disagreement. "Our entire housing fund savings still aren't quite that much."

"But if you add in our emergency fund, we can cover it."

"Lizzie," said Jane, "That means emptying our bank accounts."

"I know," said Lizzie, sadly, "But, what else can we do?"

Jane didn't answer, but sighed deeply. What else could they do? They had been cleaning up after their family for years, but this time it was really going to hurt.

Later that day, Lydia was released to them. Lizzie was twiddling her thumbs with nerves. Mr. Bennet hadn't said much about Lydia except that she readily opened up with them. What did that mean? Was she remorseful? Was she broken? Georgie had gone through a rough patch and it was only expected that Lydia, too, would be different after this terrible experience.

Lydia came through the doors finally, and Lizzie stood, ready to deal with whatever emotion Lydia had to offer.

Lydia spotted Lizzie and, much to Lizzie's surprise, she beamed, "Lizzie!" she squealed. She ran and embraced her sister as Lizzie tried to wrap her head around what she was seeing. Lydia was actually giddy.

"It's so good to see you, how long has it been?" asked Lydia, positively cheerful, "Is the whole family here? What fun!"

"What?" said Lizzie, confused at Lydia's cheer.

"I asked if the whole family was here. It's not really necessary, but it's nice you all came," said Lydia. "I need to grab my stuff. They said they weren't done with all of it, but some stuff should be able to be released to me," she prattled on, finally looking past Lizzie, "Jane!"

Jane had appeared and she too shared the grim expression Lizzie had a moment ago. Lydia released Lizzie quickly and embraced Jane, practically jumping with excitement, "Oh Jane! How wonderful to see you!"

"Lydia," said Jane, pulling gently away, "How are you?"

"I'm great," said Lydia confused, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well," stammered Jane, clearly not sure how to explain her thoughts, "Aren't you upset?"

"Upset? No, not at all."

"Really?"

"Really," said Lydia shaking her head. "Everyone is making such a big deal about this. I had the time of my life this summer, Jane. You really should spend more time out here."

Lizzie scoffed. "The time of your life," she repeated slowly, with a hint of rising anger. Jane, sensing Lizzie's drastic change of mood, quieted Lydia and led her away.

Lizzie stood watching them go with anger filling her body. She had worried about Lydia. Well, that was stupid of her. Lydia was cheerful enough to go to another party. She didn't even realize what heartache she had caused everyone. To her, it had been a fun vacation. She saw no danger in what she had done…or what money she was about to cost them.

Lizzie looked down at her hands, which were clenched. If it was just for Lydia, Lizzie would probably have changed her mind and let her deal with the financial consequences of her wasteful spending. She knew, though, that her decision had nothing to do with her selfish sister. It was her parents she was trying to protect and care for.

Mr. Bennet asked Jane and Lizzie to take Lydia back to the hotel while he completed the paperwork, and Lydia's cheer continued the entire drive, as she regaled her sisters with tale after tale of her summer of "adventures." Jane shushed her many times when she tried to share more details of the far too numerous parts that neither of them desired to know anything about.

Lizzie, in between the stories that alternately horrified or infuriated her, noticed Lydia's beaming face when she talked about Wickham. Lizzie was again reminded of a time when he had a similar effect on her, and Lizzie felt sick. Had she been as blind as Lydia? No, thankfully she had never been this delusional.

Mrs. Bennet squealed just as loud as Lydia at their reunion, reminding them all of junior high girls at a boy band concert. Mrs. Bennet insisted they all order room service to celebrate. Lizzie refused outright, but they ignored her. She couldn't believe her mother. Mrs. Bennet was acting as though Lydia had simply been on vacation, versus running off with a man in a hotel in Vegas. Kitty hung on Lydia's every word, and it was obvious she was envious of the journey. Mary was apparently giving Lydia the silent treatment, but the trio was so pre-occupied, Lizzie suspected none of them realized it.

The rest of the day was a blur for Lizzie. Her father's return did nothing to calm the mood, and his announcement that he had secured tickets for a flight that left in a few hours added the stress of packing to the family's already frazzled nerves. Through packing, the short ride to the airport, the rush to clear security and barely catch the flight, and the flight itself, Lydia's behavior was unchanged. Lizzie was thankful that the tickets had been so last minute that the family was unable to all sit together, but even sitting 8 rows behind her youngest sisters and Mrs. Bennet wasn't far enough to escape the sounds of their laughter at times on the flight.

Lizzie and Jane helped carry in their family's luggage when they finally reached the Bennet home where Jane had left her car. Once they were all inside and in the living room, Lydia collapsed onto the couch, "Mom, do you mind if I invite some friends over tomorrow. It's been so long since I've seen people. They'll want to hear about my whole trip."

Lizzie was numb at this point from how many times she had bit her tongue that this particular comment did nothing accept increase her numbness.

Before Mrs. Bennet could answer, a quiet but firm voice answered in a simple, "No."

They all turned in surprise to Mr. Bennet who was standing in the door of the living room. His coat was still on but his hands were behind his back and he wore an expression that was quite foreign to all of them, anger, mixed with a steely determination.

Lydia protested, "Papa, they haven't seen me all summer. They've missed me!"

"I don't care."

Lydia was too shocked to say anything else so Mrs. Bennet started, "Mr. Bennet, I think it's perfectly fine if she has friends over. What harm could it do?"

"What harm could it do," repeated Mr. Bennet mockingly, with a strange smile on his face, "Besides, perhaps, spoiling our daughter so that she is so out of control that she's unaware of the damage she causes to herself and others."

Lizzie's mouth dropped open, along with everyone else's, and Mrs. Bennet quickly started to object, but he cut her off.

"This is my fault," he said loudly. "Truly, Lydia. I don't blame you entirely for what happened. I have not taught you as I should have so let me say it now. This behavior will not be tolerated."

"Behavior?" whined Lydia.

"Yes, you will be homeschooled this next year."

"What?" screamed both Lydia and Mrs. Bennet.

"Until you can prove we can trust you, you will be homeschooled. We'll get a private tutor to help you."

"You can't do that," screamed Lydia, as she jumped to her feet.

"Yes, I can," said Mr. Bennet in scary, firm voice that made Lizzie thankful she was not in the hot seat.

"You are spoiled rotten," said Mr. Bennet. "I've allowed you to live this way, but no more. No phone, no computer, no friends will also be included in this homeschool. You will not do anything without my say so."

"And mine," said Mrs. Bennet, clearly desperate to be part of this conversation.

"No," said Mr. Bennet, "Don't think just because I waited till we're home that I have nothing to say to you," he said, sharply looking at Mrs. Bennet, "We have much to discuss, because we both must be better parents."

The room was in a dead silence besides Lydia's sobs and temper tantrum. She was now begging Mrs. Bennet to make him change his mind. Mrs. Bennet, however, was crying, too. She thought she was being punished as well.

It was after midnight before Lizzie and Jane left the house. Lydia and Mrs. Bennet had tried every angle they could with Mr. Bennet, but he did not budge and Lizzie had never been so proud of him. He finally saw it. For the first time, Mr. Bennet was being a true parent.

Lizzie was so tired she couldn't even fully appreciate being home in her own apartment. She collapsed into her bed fully clothed and was asleep within minutes. Lizzie didn't know how long she had been sleeping before she was woken up by noise coming from the living room.

Squinting, Lizzie grabbed her phone and she saw it was around five in the morning. Now listening more earnestly, she realized she was hearing the television. Jane must be up. Lizzie wrapped her blanket around herself and marched into the living room.

Jane was snuggled on the couch wrapped in her own blanket eating a bowl of cereal. She looked apologetic when she spotted Lizzie, "I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep any longer and I thought I'd watch cartoons."

"Just like we used to every Saturday morning," said Lizzie, smiling not feeling any anger at being awoken much sooner than she wanted, "And you're eating cereal."

"Yes," said Jane, nodding, "I was hungry."

"I'm going to get some myself," said Lizzie, hurrying into the kitchen. When she had finished grabbing some Fruit Loops, she snuggled next to Jane on the couch and joined her in watching cartoons. They were quiet as they slurped their way through their cereal.

"Cartoons sure have changed," said Jane, eyeing the television, "These cartoons nowadays…are creepy."

"Yeah," agreed Lizzie, "We could do something else."

"Like what? It's five in the morning."

"I don't know," said Lizzie, turning off the television, "We could go for a run."

"What part of 'five in the morning' did you not understand?" moaned Jane. "Why in the world would we go running?"

"Because it will be good for us," said Lizzie, standing up and letting her blankets fall, "Running helps with depression."

"Depression?" said Jane, confused. "Lizzie. I'm not depressed."

"I am," defended Lizzie, "This whole family situation is nuts. Plus, I'm jetlagged, and I'm going to have to empty my bank account later today. I need something to help with my future bad mood."

"Oh," was all Jane said, and her smile quickly faded. Lizzie suspected Jane had forgotten the plan to pay Lydia and Wickham's debt so Mr. and Mrs. Bennet wouldn't have to take out a loan.

"I'm sorry," said Lizzie, gloomily, "We were both happy a moment ago and I brought us both back down."

"It's not your fault."

"Yeah. Maybe. Jane, are you having second thoughts about paying for it?"

"No," said Jane quickly, and Lizzie gave her a searching glance, "I'm not. I would be lying if I said I wasn't sad at having to start over in our house fund. That took us years to save up."

"Yeah," moaned Lizzie, "Let's go for a run. It will make us feel better."

"We'll see."

Running they went. They started just as the sun began to make its appearance, and Lizzie could feel the stress physically leave her body the longer they ran. Running had always helped her feel free. Finally, Lizzie collapsed on a bench near a drinking fountain unable to keep going.

"Wow," said Lizzie, "I actually did better than I thought I would. I haven't ran in ages. And you, you were amazing, Jane. Have you been exercising without me? Jane?"

Jane hadn't been listening. She was staring pointedly at a restaurant. Lizzie stood up, even though her legs were jelly, and joined Jane in her staring.

"What?" questioned Lizzie, "It's not even open, Jane. Plus, Italian food for breakfast after we've run a couple of miles is not appealing."

"No," she said stammering, "Sorry. That's not why I was staring."

"Then what?"

"That's the place," Jane said, hesitating. She took a deep breath, "That's the restaurant he took me to when we broke up."

Lizzie stared at her sister sadly and put her hand on her shoulder, "I was wondering where you were leading us. I don't come to this neighborhood that much."

"I wanted to see it," said Jane, determinedly. "I haven't been able to go to half the places we used to go since we broke up. I thought I would start facing some of my fears."

"Good for you," said Lizzie taking a big gulp of water, "You are finally moving on. That's good. I'd almost say you're ready to start dating."

Jane suddenly looked uncomfortable, "Hey, why don't we run some more?" She took off running and Lizzie shrieked in agony following her.

"Why?" yelled Lizzie, "We've already ran a couple of miles. Why do we need more?" she gasped, falling into step with Jane.

"Because I want to tell you something," said Jane, "And I think you'll do better at hearing it if you're running."

"What?" gushed Lizzie, completely out of breath. She was barely paying attention to Jane because she was focusing on keeping her legs going.

"I went on a date," said Jane, and she took off in a sprint.

"What?" screamed Lizzie, and suddenly she felt a burst of energy and sprinted after her sister.

"Jane, you stop right now and explain yourself!" Lizzie was now only slightly behind Jane. "I'm serious. I want details now!"

"Only if you promise to not be mad I didn't tell you!"

"Fine. Just stop."

They both stopped and Lizzie grabbed her sister's arm to make sure she didn't sprint away again.

"What is this about you going on a date? With who? And when?"

"Nobody you know," said Jane, for the first time showing fatigue from running, "I met him at the hospital."

"If only we could meet men somewhere else," muttered Lizzie. "Okay. Who is he?"

"He's a teacher."

"A teacher?"

"He teaches economics at a university."

"Okay," said Lizzie, "When?"

"While you were gone. I almost called you but…I didn't know how to tell you," said Jane. "See. The thing is, Lizzie, it's a casual thing, and I didn't know how okay you would be with that."

"How casual are you talking?" said Lizzie, pulling Jane into a walk with her.

"We're not putting labels on it," said Jane. "He's not my boyfriend. We're just keeping things casual."

"Jane," started Lizzie in a strained voice.

"See," said Jane, "I knew you wouldn't like it. I'm not being stupid. We just did dinner and that's it! Nothing else! What's wrong with that?"

"You already knew I wouldn't like it so I'm guessing you already know what I'm going to say, but I'll say it anyways. You are not a casual dating type person," said Lizzie adamantly, "You would never be okay with dating a guy who was dating other people."

"Normally I would agree with you," said Jane, "But you know what, Lizzie? I'm tired of being sad."

"Sad?"

"Yes," said Jane, turning and facing her. "I'm tired of thinking of Charles every time I get coffee. I'm tired of going to bed and missing his goodnight texts. I'm tired of my heart stopping every time my phone rings hoping it will be him. I'm tired of counting how many days it's been since we broke up. I'm tired of it all, Lizzie. I. Need. To. Move. On."

Lizzie's heart felt a stab of guilt in that moment. She still hadn't told Jane she had seen Charles. Or, as her own heart fluttered, she hadn't mentioned anything about Darcy. To be fair to herself, there hadn't been a good time. It was very odd for both of them to be keeping things from each other, especially their dating life. As she stared in the determination in her sister eyes, she decided it was time for both of them to come clean.

"Okay, I get that. I just don't want you to get hurt by this casual dating thing," Lizzie said. "And can we sit? My legs are dying."

"Should I order a cab?" asked Jane. "I'd hate for you to have to walk back."

"I didn't realize my sister was in marathon shape," whined Lizzie. "And sure, but I have something to tell you when we get home."

The cab ride was heaven for Lizzie's legs, and she had never appreciated their couch as much as when she sat.

"You must be working out," she said to Jane, who brought her water, "Seriously, I'm in pretty good shape and you smoked me."

"Maybe I have a better diet," teased Jane.

"Come now, play nice," said Lizzie gulping her water.

"Alright, what do you have to tell me?"

Lizzie swallowed down the wrong tube, which wasn't the best way to start. Frankly, how was she supposed to start? Where could she start? She wasn't even sure herself exactly how she had gone from hating Darcy to kissing/liking him. Verbally, Lizzie was usually on point. But this was a conundrum she wasn't sure to verbalize.

"Just say it," said Jane, "Your silence is freaking me out. What happened?"

"I kissed Darcy," said Lizzie quickly, and she couldn't believe she had said that. She should have built it up. She could have started out gently, but she decided to use the canon ball approach and make a big splash.

"What?" gasped Jane, spilling water down her front, "Repeat that. Right now!"

"I kissed Darcy."

"Darcy?"

"Yes."

"Dr. William Darcy."

"Oh. No, not that one."

"What?" said Jane confused.

"I'm kidding!" said Lizzie, "Do you another Darcy that I could be kissing?"

"The one we do know I didn't think you would be kissing."

"Fair enough," said Lizzie, "Let me explain the whole thing. But, I know you're going to be mad when I'm finished."

"Why?" asked Jane.

"Because, err," said Lizzie, shifting her position on the couch, "I saw Charles too."

Jane looked a mixture of surprised, hurt, and angry, but she visibly calmed herself and motioned for Lizzie to continue, which she did.

When Lizzie had finished, they found themselves eating ice cream straight out of the container. It seemed to be a habit now. No point in dirtying a dish. Jane had been patient and quiet during the whole thing, and Lizzie was desperate for her sister to show some kind of emotion. Even if it was anger.

When Lizzie had finished, she waited for Jane to say something. Jane took a big bite of ice cream and had a contemplating look on her face as she chewed.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, she cleared her mouth, "How was the kiss?"

Lizzie, not believing what she heard, asked, "What?"

"The kiss," explained Jane, "Any good?"

"Uh," said Lizzie confused, "Yeah. It was good."

"Scale of one to ten?"

"Is that really what you're asking me?" said Lizzie, "I just told you I spent almost week hanging out with your ex, and all you're going to ask me is how good the kiss was?"

"Everything else seemed pretty straight forward," said Jane, laughing, "Plus, I really want to know. Be honest. How good was it from a scale of one to ten? Ten, obviously, being amazing."

"We are not having this conversation," said Lizzie, putting the ice cream away, "Wow. We ate fruit loops. Went on a run. Ate ice cream. All before eight am. Strange how normal it feels."

"No," said Jane, shaking her head, "You are not avoiding answering this."

"Answering what?"

"The kiss? How good was it? Why won't you answer?"

"Because I don't want to," said Lizzie, walking to her bedroom. Jane followed, clearly not letting it go.

"I thought you wanted to be honest with me," she protested.

"I didn't think you would be asking about this," said Lizzie honestly, "And besides. It's not your business."

"Since when?" said Jane, "My dating life has always been your business."

"So, what? I don't want to answer," said Lizzie feeling a hint of anger at Jane's persistence.

"What is wrong with you?" said Jane, raising her voice in turn, "Just give me a number and I'll leave you alone."

"No!" Lizzie's voice had been louder than she intended, but it conveyed the annoyance she felt. Jane was watching her with a concerned expression.

"Lizzie," she said softly, "What aren't you telling me?"

Lizzie threw herself on her bed and Jane followed by sitting on the edge. She stroked Lizzie's hair gently, "Lizzie, What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything. I won't judge."

Lizzie hadn't admitted it to anyone else at this point. Maybe not even herself. In this moment, she knew Jane would understand, but it was still hard to say.

"You talked about moving on," Lizzie said, "Let's just say I'm trying to get over it."

"Get over what?"

"Get over the fact that, well, that kiss was higher than a ten. It was incredible, Jane. You remember the night you came back from having coffee with Charles that first night?"

"Yes," whispered Jane softly.

"It's like that. I fell hard. And then Lydia and Whickham happened and it's over before it really began. And I need to move on instead of moping and dwelling on it."

Both sisters were quiet for a long time. Jane kept stroking Lizzie's hair, comforting Lizzie completely. She was feeling her eyes water from the emotion she felt. Jane wiped away a tear that escaped and gently whispered, "More ice cream?"

Lizzie smiled through her tears, "Yeah. Okay."


	24. Chapter 24

With the discovery of Lydia, the Las Vegas Police Department had closed their investigation. Despite Lydia's young age and the huge bills racked up by the pair, Wickham had managed to avoid doing anything that was technically illegal. Lydia had made it as clear to the police as to her family that she was an eager participant in everything. Wickham's upbringing in a household of lawyers seemed to have increased his skill at keeping himself legally blameless throughout. The closest thing to prison either one would see would be Lydia's heightened new household rules.

The police had passed on all inquiries about the debt owed to the law firm of the collection agency. With hearts heavy, and not just from the loss of their dreams of a new house, Lizzie and Jane walked into the law firm later that morning. They had called ahead and requested to meet without their father being informed. Both Lizzie and Jane knew he would know it was them but after completing the act, there would be little he could do.

Lizzie was anxious to be done with the whole situation. All she wanted was to dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s and be on their way, but it was not to be that simple. After a short wait, they were shown into the office. The lawyer greeted them and asked them to sit down.

"I'm afraid there's been some confusion," he said slowly. Lizzie glanced nervously at Jane. She could only imagine what problems might have arisen. Maybe there were more debts and they wouldn't have enough money. Maybe Lydia was going to be arrested after all. Maybe… She took a breath and tried to stop herself from panicking.

"I thought we were told we would be able to pay off the debt and be done with everything," she said, keeping her voice level.

"That's where the issue comes up," he replied. "It's already been taken care of."

"What?" gasped both Lizzie and Jane.

"Please, sir," said Jane, "It wasn't our father was it? Can we reverse it? We don't want our family to have to take out a loan."

"Ma'am," he said slowly, "I'm not at liberty to reveal any information about the repayment. I'm sorry."

"Dad must have known we would try this," said Lizzie, "He must have done it early this morning to beat us to this."

As they left the office, they resolved to confront their father and find out exactly how he had managed to get a loan together so quickly to cover the debt. Their plan fell apart 3 feet outside the door when they ran into their father.

"What are you doing here?" The question was asked by both Jane and their father, as if rehearsed. Mr. Bennet recovered quickest.

"Don't tell me you've paid off the debt," he exclaimed. "I came down here to make sure you wouldn't do something rash. This is not your responsibility. It's mine, and it's Lydia's."

Lizzie tried to process this turn of events. If he hadn't paid it, who could have?

"Dad," Jane began, "The debt was already paid off. We…"

"I knew you were going to do something stupid!" Mr. Bennet cut off his daughter mid-sentence. "We are going back in there, and I am going to work this out. Not you."

"It wasn't us!" Lizzie said, finally finding her voice, "What Jane tried to tell you was that someone had paid it off before we got here."

"We thought it was you," added Jane. They told him the whole story.

"I'm going to talk to the lawyer myself. There's a chance he'll tell me more, since my name is on everything. I'll meet you back at home, I don't know how long this will take."

Lizzie and Jane headed off not knowing what to feel. On the bright side, their bank accounts were still full. On the other, they were now apparently indebted to someone they couldn't thank, which was very difficult for both of them.  
Their father returned, not long after they arrived.

"Anything?" asked Lizzie.

"No clue. The lawyer wouldn't reveal anything to me despite my insistence. We'll never know," he said sadly. "It's amazing how everything has been handled. I'm inconvenienced very little, which is definitely not how it should be."

Just as he finished, there was a cry of frustration outside that could have been no one else besides Lydia.

"How's Lydia?" asked Lizzie, rolling her eyes.

"Not good," said Mr. Bennet, "Especially since I told her this morning I wanted her to go to therapy."

"Really?" asked Jane.

"It's what the officer recommended. At some point, she'll realize she was used and when she does, she needs to have someone there she can talk too. And since neither your mother nor I are qualified, it seemed the best thing to do."

"I'm impressed, dad," said Lizzie, "That's an awesome idea."

"Yes," he said, "We'll see how it goes."

"Aren't you afraid she'll sneak out again?" said Jane, "Especially since she's not used to having to obey all these new rules."

"I considered that," said Mr. Bennet smiling slightly, "That's why Kitty and Lydia are sharing a room. I told Kitty if Lydia is not in her bed at 11:00 then she is to tell us. Plus, I told Kitty if she hides anything from us, we'll homeschool her too. You should have seen the look of horror on Kitty's face. She won't hide a thing."

"Dad," said Lizzie impressed, "You're like an evil mastermind. That's all the motivation you needed with Kitty."

"I know," he said, smiling probably more than he should have.

Summer was over. There was a new chilliness in the air that was refreshing, along with the need for heavier clothing. Chicago was beautiful in the fall and Lizzie enjoyed it.

Jane and Lizzie were back to their old routine of work, sleep, hang out, and repeat. Neither of them had a strong desire to venture out simply because they appreciated the stillness of life considering what they had been through the last year.

Lydia continued to go to the psychiatrist, and they were pleased when Lydia did make some progress. It was slow, but still progress, which was enough for Mr. Bennet to know he was doing the right thing.  
Kitty, seeing Lydia's punishments, improved greatly and Lizzie suspected that Kitty had always been a follower more than the main problem.

One night near the beginning of October, Lizzie arrived home from work, "Jane, I'm home. Can we do pizza? I have such a strong craving!"

Jane didn't respond.

"Jane," called Lizzie, "Yes, I know we've been having pizza a lot lately, but if we're going running, two miles max I'll add, we can handle it without gaining too much weight."

Still no answer.

"Jane?" called Lizzie, for the first time being concerned.

"I'm back here, Sorry," Jane called, but her tone only added to Lizzie's concern. It was in deep contemplation, almost crying, and Lizzie hurried back to her sister's bedroom.

"What is it?" she asked, entering, but she didn't finish asking before she saw the reason for her sister's emotions.

Jane was sitting on her bed reading something Lizzie hadn't seen in months. The calendar.

Bingley's calendar. The calendar that Jane had marked with all their important milestones or simply things they wanted to mark.

"You kept that?"

"Yes," said Jane, looking slightly ashamed, "I hid it when I realized my sister was secretly removing all evidence of Charles from my room, thinking I wouldn't notice if she just took a few things each day."

"I didn't think you wouldn't notice," explained Lizzie, "I just thought it was easier if you didn't see me do it."

"It was," said Jane, "I hid this under my mattress."

"Good grief," said Lizzie, "I wasn't looking that hard."

"I know you weren't. I looked at this the day we broke up. I wanted to tear it up, but yet…I couldn't. Some part of me simply couldn't throw it away, but now…I think it may be time."

"Now? After all this time?" said Lizzie, "Is there a particular motivation? Like maybe things are going well with the professor?"

"Things are fine with him," said Jane, "But I've still held on to this. I'm not sure why."

"It has memories."

"True," said Jane, "But this. This is the last step," she said, staring sadly at the calendar, "So, Lizzie. I want you to throw it away for me," she said holding it to Lizzie.

"Me? Why me?"

"Because I don't want to get up," admitted Jane with a faint laugh, "I'm comfortable. Plus, I'm folding laundry."

Lizzie took the calendar and looked down at it, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," said Jane, who had already moved on to folding her laundry, "I feel better already."

"Okay," said Lizzie slowly and she turned away, leaving Jane in peace.

She approached the garbage in the kitchen while flipping through the pages. Jane had taken a few calendars and glued them together to cover her relationship with Charles.

October 10th-met Charles Bingley. Lizzie smiled. That was the same day she met Darcy.

Turning onward, she found the trip to the cabin. She smiled as she remembered going skiing, Charlotte, Jane and her having a snowball fight, and…Darcy.

It was funny how so many of the dates Jane had marked with Bingley coincided with Darcy and Lizzie's relationship…though they had never dated.

Jane had kept such incredible detail. It seemed sad to throw away something that had once been held with such care.

The very next day, Lizzie and Jane worked the exact same shift, so Jane insisted they ride together instead of Lizzie taking the subway. Plus, they had plans to discuss. Both of them were ready to once again begin looking for a house, which gave them something to look forward too.

Near the end of Lizzie's shift, Mrs. Gardiner approached her, "I need to talk to you, dear. What time are you done?"

"Soon. I just have one hour left."

"Okay. When you're finished, come and find me," she said clearly in a hurry walking away.

"Alight," called Lizzie to her retreating back.

Just as Mrs. Gardiner disappeared around the corner, Jane appeared opposite the counter where Lizzie was busy looking at charts.

"Slow day," she said.

"Not for me," said Lizzie, not looking up, "Can you ask them to be quiet?"

Down the hall several coworkers were holding a suddenly animated discussion, and the noise had distracted Lizzie in the middle of a count.

"You do it. You know I hate confronting people."

"I don't know what they're so excited about. We're nearly in cold season."

One nurse came around the corner, giggling uncontrollably, "I'm sure you two must be thrilled about this."

"About what?" asked Lizzie, keeping her back to the other nurse, which allowed her a chance to roll her eyes at Jane.

"Seriously? You guys don't know?" she said surprised, "I thought you would have been among the first to know."

"What's your news?" said Lizzie impatiently, "Some of us are actually trying to work."

"Charles Bingley," she said, dramatically, "He's coming back."

Jane's face dropped from a smile to look of panic. She recovered quickly, knowing she was being watched, but Lizzie couldn't hide her disbelief.

"What do you mean he's coming back?" asked Lizzie, turning to the nurse for the first time in the whole conversation.

"He's coming back for a few surgeries," explained the nurse, "He's not back permanently or anything. So, you don't have to worry Jane," she said, condescendingly.

"I wasn't worried," lied Jane, expertly, "He's a great surgeon. It's great he can be of assistance here."

The nurse eyed Jane closely seemingly trying to decide whether to believe her or not. Thankfully, her pager went off distracting her. The minute she was out of sight, Lizzie felt Jane grab her and pull her into an empty room.

"Ouch, Jane. Those arm things are attached to my body," moaned Lizzie, rubbing her skin that Jane had scratched.

"He's coming back," said Jane, "Why?"

"Just a few surgeries," said Lizzie, "You heard her."

"Still, why?"

Jane had a point. Charles hadn't contacted Jane once since their breakup. It did seem strange he was willing to work in the same area as her now.

"I don't know," said Lizzie, "But it doesn't matter, Jane. Because, we've…um, you've moved on. So it doesn't matter if he comes back."

"It's because I threw away the calendar," moaned Jane, "I cursed myself."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Lizzie, "You'll make yourself panic."

"I'm panicking already!"

"No," said Lizzie, seizing her sister's arm, "You are not panicking here. We'll panic at home but not here. The rumor mill is already terrible here, and you don't want to encourage them by showing weakness."

"Okay," said Jane, "That's true. Fine. Let's go out there. Everything will be fine."

"Just be fine for one more hour and then we'll go home and panic to our heart's content."

As they left the safety of the room, Mrs. Gardiner called to them, "I was looking for you both. I wanted to tell you something before anyone else had the chance to…"

"Save it," said Lizzie, with a sigh, "We already know. Bingley is coming back."

"Oh," said Mrs. Gardiner, "Man. People gossip so fast here. I'm sorry Jane. I wanted to give you a chance to let it sink in before seeing people."

"It's okay," said Jane, "Really, I'm fine. It won't be a problem for him to be here."

Mrs. Gardiner did the same study of Jane the other nurse had done, but her face was full of concern instead of curiosity. "Well, I'm sure it will be fine. The only thing is…you apparently only got half of the news," she said, and this time, her eyes turned nervously to Lizzie…and Lizzie knew.

"No," moaned Lizzie, "Please, no."

"Yes," confirmed Mrs. Gardiner, "Darcy's coming too. He's also flying in for a surgery."

Jane let out a small shaky laugh, until Lizzie glared at her and the laugh quickly vanished from Jane's face.

Mrs. Gardiner sensing they wanted to be alone, left with a sorry, yet not sorry glance at them.

"I think I'm coming down with some rare illness that will conveniently keep me away from work for the next few weeks," whispered Lizzie.

"How about mono?" said Jane, stifling another laugh. She added jokingly, "You could say you got it from Darcy."

"Uncalled for," said Lizzie, giving Jane a slight elbow nudge, "What's got you so chipper?"

"Because I'm not the only one who will be panicking," said Jane, "I feel much better now knowing you'll be uncomfortable as well."

"That's very selfish of you, Jane. Plus, it's very unlike you to be so cynical."

"I know," said Jane in a weird voice, "Maybe I've grown."

The plan for dealing with Bingley and Darcy was simple. Repress. Repress everything. And it worked…until the night before.

"I can't do this, Jane," cried Lizzie stubbornly, "There is no way I can face him. What do I say?"

"How about hello?"

"And you don't think that will make me look stupid?"

"I think it will make you look professional which is what you want, right?" asked Jane who was working on dinner.

"How are you so calm?"

"I don't know," said Jane, shrugging.

"Maybe you aren't calm," said Lizzie, "You're just doing a perfect job of repressing everything."

"I am actually calm," said Jane, smiling, "Besides, he's just here for a few surgeries and then he's leaving. He's owes me nothing. I owe him nothing. It's simple."

"Right," said Lizzie, unconvinced.

"Plus," said Jane, "I have a date tomorrow with Paul, so I'll have a reason to get out right on time."

"What?" yelled Lizzie, "That's not fair!"

"How is that not fair?"

"You have a guy to show off to Bingley," said Lizzie, grumpily, "I need a fake boyfriend I can throw in Darcy's face."

"No, you don't! And I'm not throwing it in Bingley's face. I'm not planning on mentioning him at all. I haven't told anyone at the hospital I'm dating someone so he won't find out that way."

"Still unfair," said Lizzie.

"Well, if you're that determined," teased Jane, "It's still early so you can go out and look for someone to date."

"You jest," said Lizzie, "Truth is, I've already considered that."

"You'll be fine," said Jane.

"I hope so."

Lizzie did not sleep well that night. She couldn't stop thinking about all the horrible ways that the day could end up going, but she put all that behind her as she got ready for the day.

Once again, she drove with Jane, and they were both quiet, unsure of what to say. Finally, they pulled into the hospital and they both let out a deep sigh. Lizzie was surprised how fine she felt. She would go in and do her job. That seemed easy enough.

"Lizzie," said Jane in a strange voice.

"Yeah?"

"I don't know if I can do this."

Lizzie's head flipped to her sister's face, "What? I thought you were fine."

"I am…It's just going to be hard to see him."

"It's going to be ok."

Jane nodded and together they left the safety of their car. Arm in arm, they walked into the hospital.

Waiting is the worst thing. Waiting for something you desperately want to avoid only adds to the stress. Lizzie and Jane purposefully worked hard, completely throwing themselves into their work. After an hour, Dr. Bingley finally appeared with Dr. Gardiner.

Jane kept her eyes pointedly fixed on her charts, but Lizzie felt her sister tighten next to her. It wasn't as bad for Lizzie, since she had seen him more recently, and under better circumstances, but Jane hadn't see him since the break-up.

Lizzie watched Charles out of the corner of her eye and she saw him give Jane a double take while he listened to Dr. Gardiner.

"He's back in surgeries full time," whispered Mrs. Gardiner, appearing next to both Lizzie and Jane, "His research grant didn't go well. It ended early."

"That's too bad," said Lizzie, while Jane continued to try to work, but Lizzie knew she was listening.

"It's unfortunate," said Mrs. Gardiner, "But it works for us considering one of our surgeons is out on maternity leave still."

"It's nice when things work out," said Lizzie, but her heart stopped when she saw Charles turn towards them.

"Mrs. Gardiner," he said, "It's wonderful to see you."

"Charles, hello," said Mrs. Gardiner, smiling away.

"Lizzie," he said, nodding to her and Lizzie waved.

Charles hesitated a split second, "Jane, it's nice to see you too."

"Dr. Bingley," said Jane, nodding towards him before turning to her work and Lizzie felt a wave of awkwardness come over her. Jane's voice had come across as cold and distant, which was quite unlike her.

Charles definitely noticed the tone, but he smiled at them anyways before disappearing around a corner. Mrs. Gardiner excused herself and Lizzie turned to Jane.

"What was that?"

"What do you mean?" asked Jane.

"That Dr. Bingley talk."

"That's his name, Lizzie."

"Yes," said Lizzie sighing, "But he used your first name, and you calling him doctor definitely was cold and distant."

"NO, it was professional," said Jane pointedly, "And that's what I'm going to be. Professional."

"It just doesn't feel like you," said Lizzie, shifting uncomfortably.

"Well," said Jane picking up her charts, "He's doesn't like me anyways, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Jane," said Lizzie, attempting to stop her, but Jane was gone before she could say another word. Clearly, Jane was not going to be completely fine, but Lizzie reminded herself this was only for a few days. Plus, Charles had ended it with Jane so it was unlikely he would be affected by her distant behavior.

The rest of Lizzie's shift flew by. Soon enough she was done and heading for the locker room. She didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed that she hadn't seen Darcy. She had no idea what she would have said. She was sitting in the locker room waiting for Jane when Charles appeared.

"Hey, good day?" he asked.

"Yes," said Lizzie, "Long, and more tiring than most, but it was good."

"Me too. I forgot how nice the facilities are here," he said.

"They're practically new," said Lizzie.

"Yes. So, do you have plans?"

"What?" asked Lizzie, very confused.

"Plans? I was thinking maybe we could all go out for dinner. Just to catch up."

"Who is we?"

"You, me," said Charles, fidgeting and clearly nervous, "Darcy…Jane?"

"Oh," said Lizzie, not sure what to say, but she didn't have to because right at that moment the door to the locker room opened revealing Jane. Her smile disappeared when she spotted Charles, but she ignored him, "Hey Lizzie," she said, "You ready?"

Lizzie was about to answer when Charles walked past her towards Jane.

"Hey," he said, "I was thinking maybe we all could go out. You, Lizzie, Darcy, and I. We could catch up about the last year," he said kindly.

Jane's face was expressionless, and Lizzie wished she was anywhere else in the world right now besides being the awkward third wheel.

"Sorry," said Jane, "I already have plans. A date. With someone else," she said, giving Charles a hard look, and she motioned for Lizzie before shutting the door in Charles face.

Lizzie had never felt so awkward, and her heart sank when she saw Charles' face drop. He had not been expecting that.

"Sorry," Lizzie said kindly to Charles as she passed. "Maybe another time," she added before following her sister.

Lizzie didn't catch Jane, who was apparently speed-walking, until they reached the parking lot.

"Okay, explain something to me," said Lizzie, climbing into the car, "What part of 'I'm not going to tell him about Paul' means 'I'm going to tell him about Paul.'"

"I didn't think I would," said Jane, jamming her keys into the ignition, "I don't know."

"You said it to hurt him, Jane," said Lizzie disapprovingly, "What is going on with you? This really isn't you. You don't ever say mean things!"

"You don't get to do this!"

"What do you mean? I don't get to tell you when I think you're wrong?"

"I mean tell me off for speaking the truth," said Jane, tears now streaming down her cheek, "Lizzie, he broke my heart. Don't you get that?"

Lizzie grew quiet. How could she respond to that?

"He left me. The night I thought I was going to get engaged to the man I was ready to spend the rest of my life with, he left. Not one phone call or a single text from him. Ever. Then, he shows up randomly, again no notice, and he wants to 'hang'."

Still crying, she pulled out of the parking lot and they were silent for several minutes before Lizzie felt it was safe to speak.

"Jane," she said softly, "I know. I understand what he did to you better than anyone. But, maybe, just maybe, he was trying to make it right. You always see the best in people. See that now. See that he was trying to mend some bridges. Maybe, give him a chance. I'm not saying you have to…just think about it."

Jane didn't answer, but the tears slowed, which Lizzie figured was as good as she could hope for right now.


	25. Chapter 25

The next day, Lizzie started earlier than Jane, making Lizzie anxious about leaving Jane alone. Her behavior had been off and it made both sisters uncomfortable.

As Lizzie did her morning checks with patients, she felt someone watching her. Turning, she saw Bingley approaching her while rubbing his hands together, "Lizzie, I was wondering if I could have a few moments of your time?"

"Sure," said Lizzie taking a deep breath, "What is it?"

Without answering, his eyes moved to the people nearby and Lizzie knew he wanted to speak in private. Understanding, she motioned him into a nearby room no patient was currently occupying.

"What's up?" asked Lizzie.

"I know," he said, after a moment's pause, "I know Darcy told you everything. Right before we came back here he told me that."

Lizzie nodded, slightly embarrassed. What was she supposed to say to that?

"I feel…awful."

Lizzie watched him closely. As she looked at him, Lizzie could tell that Charles Bingley had hardly gotten any sleep. Dark circles covered his skin underneath his eyes, and those eyes, normally so vibrant, had lost their spark. He had been up late thinking. Lizzie had experienced such nights. Many within the last year.

"I came back. Hoping, there was a chance," he said, his voice showing true vulnerability, "And as I see her now. I see her anger at me is quite…intense."

Lizzie dropped her gaze. Intense was the right word. Jane's anger had even thrown Lizzie for a loop. Jane did not get angry. It just didn't happen.

"And she's seeing someone," he added, "I don't want to interfere, and yet I can't move on without knowing for certain. That is why I came to you, Lizzie. You know her better than anyone. All while I saw you in New York, I kept asking questions hoping you would simply mention her. I didn't have the courage to say anything then because I was embarrassed and horrified by the way I treated her," he said, his eyes filling with tears, "Darcy told me she was going to say yes that night."

Lizzie's stomach turned. She didn't realize Darcy had revealed that detail.

"I would give anything to go back to that night, Lizzie. I regret nothing more than the way that night turned out. My whole research grant was a mess. I couldn't focus. Ironic, considering my work was with hearts," he said letting out a shaky laugh and Lizzie smiled briefly.

"I've come back with no other motive besides making things right. And by making things right," he said confidently, "I'm here to get her back."

Lizzie took in a deep breath. Man, he could talk good.

"But, I'm not an idiot. I knew coming back here was going to be a challenge. I knew she would be standoffish but," he said, showing his nerves once more, "I had no idea she would be…like this. She won't show any part of her that reminds me of Jane. She's so cold towards me it feels like there's an imposter inside of her body."

Just at that moment, Lizzie's phone buzzed and Lizzie looked down to see a text from Jane, informing her she was at the hospital. With Jane's current mood, the last thing Lizzie wanted was to be caught alone with Charles talking about Jane.

"So," Lizzie said quickly, looking at Charles, "What exactly do you mean? I'm not trying to be rude but me talking to you is a risky thing right now. I heard everything you said. So, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Charles didn't look offended, to Lizzie's relief. Instead, he straightened up standing tall, "I want to know if I have a shot."

A simple question.

"Lizzie," he said, interrupting her racing mind, "I want you to answer with what's best for Jane. I promise you, if you say no. I won't hold anything against you. I want what's best for Jane. Because, I will walk away if that's best for her."

Lizzie's heart warmed by his honestly and she knew he would honor his word. If she said no, he would walk away and never bother Jane again. She would be free of Charles Bingley.

Charles was watching, her waiting for an answer, and Lizzie had it for him.

"Yes."

"What?" asked Bingley, looking confused.

"It's not too late," said Lizzie, and Charles eyes warmed as a big appreciative smile lit up his whole face. But, they both froze when they heard Jane's voice walk through the door.

"Lizzie? What are you doing in here?" asked Jane, in a weird voice as her eyes went back and forth between Lizzie and Charles. Lizzie at first was unsure what to say. She needed to make this relationship happen. To do so, she had to play aggressive.

"I told Charles you would have coffee with him," said Lizzie, giving Jane a pleading look, hoping Jane would just agree.

"What?" gasped Jane, "I'm sorry Dr. Bingley. Excuse us," she added, before grabbing Lizzie firmly and pulling her out of the room.

"What are you doing," she hissed, as soon as they were out of earshot, "Elizabeth Bennet. How could you possibly tell him I would have coffee with him? Because I won't!"

"Jane," said Lizzie, but Jane kept going.

"I thought you were on my side. Professional. And going to get coffee is not professional!"

"Jane," said Lizzie, throwing her hands up, "Just listen to me. Give me a minute to explain."

Jane, surprisingly, crossed her arms and fell silent.

"Look. I know that's what we said. I said it too. But Jane, let's be honest," said Lizzie, nervously taking a deep breath before she ventured her words out, "You are not over him."

Jane stiffened at her words, confirming them.

"And he's not over you," said Lizzie, "And you know what? I don't think you guys are supposed to be over each other. Jane. He's the one."

Jane looked down at her feet, her head shaking slightly, "He left."

"Yes. He did. And he's not excusing that. He'll explain what happened. I know he will. Please, just give him a chance. Please, Jane."

"I can't, Lizzie," said Jane, wiping an escaped tear, "I can't take that chance. I know this story. They leave."

"But he came back," said Lizzie, earnestly, "Please. Give him a chance, Jane. Just a cup of coffee."

The next minute was the longest moment in Lizzie's life as she watched the vicious battle taking place in Jane's mind. Jane didn't say anything, but Lizzie could still tell every thought that passed through her sister's brain. Finally, Jane turned and walked back the way they came.

Nervous, Lizzie followed, not sure what Jane was going to do.

Charles Bingley was leaning over a counter reading when Jane walked right up to him. Lizzie held her breath and felt her heart stop.

At first, all Jane did was grab charts from the counter, while Charles watched her out of the corner of his eye. Lizzie's heart sank as Jane left. But Jane turned back around and in a simple voice said, "One."

Charles turned, "What?"

"One," repeated Jane, "One cup of coffee." Her face was stern, but Charles didn't seem to notice as he smiled.

"I guess it's up to me to earn the second one, then," he said softly.

"I guess so," said Jane, turning and walking away where she joined several nurses on their way to check on their patients.

Charles had a whole new spring in his step as he went on his way. Lizzie watched him go with a whole new attitude. Mrs. Gardiner appeared out of nowhere, giving Lizzie a side hug.

"Playing matchmaker," she said, clearly realizing what had just happened.

"I didn't have to do much," said Lizzie.

"Still. I hope it works out this time," said Mrs. Gardiner. "Now I'm going on break. Darcy's in the locker room getting ready for his surgery, and with him here, everything will start on time. Even without me." She grinned. "I'll see you in a little bit."

Lizzie waved goodbye, but something Mrs. Gardiner said didn't sit right. She "hoped it would work out?" Of course, it was going to work out. It had too.

Unless Charles wasn't as completely committed as he claimed. This sent a whole new fear in Lizzie and her stomach dropped. Had she just put her sister in a no-win situation? Panicked, she started walking, knowing exactly where she had to go.

Darcy was the only one in the locker room when Lizzie stormed in. He didn't turn around, so Lizzie struck him hard on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Ow!" he said, flipping around, "Lizzie? What was that for?"

"You better tell me the truth right now," said Lizzie, pacing, "Because, I swear, if he's playing around, I will break both your backs!"

"Lizzie," said Darcy, "Calm down. What is going on?"

"Bingley," said Lizzie, "He gave this really good speech. Most of the time, I don't fall for that crap, but goodness, he sounded good. SO, I told him he had a shot. I even convinced Jane to get coffee with the dude and I need to know if I'm going to have that bad decision carved on my gravestone as punishment for not thinking things through," finished Lizzie, still pacing and eyeing Darcy at the same time.

"I doubt any decision is bad enough that it needs to be on a gravestone," he said with a smile. His attempt at good humor, however, was the wrong thing to do in that moment as Lizzie's insides screamed with anger. How could he laugh at a moment like this?

"You laugh?" Lizzie yelled, "Don't you realize this is my sister's heart we're talking about? You should care!"

"I care," he said, working to stifle the smile. "You have to realize that when you get worked up like this…you're kind of….err," he stammered unable, or unwilling, to find the words.

"I'm what?"

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head, no trace of a smile remaining on his face.

"Fine. Can you just answer the question then? Are Charles' intentions good, or did I just throw my sister into the lion's den?"

Darcy turned back towards his locker and replied calmly, "Charles has better intentions than anyone has ever had ever. He's here to stay, Lizzie. He'll stay forever unless she orders him away and even then, I'd have my doubts."

He seemed confident in his answer, allowing Lizzie's heart rate to slow down. Bingley was here for the long haul, which made Lizzie's interference alright. Lizzie sighed happily, and Darcy turned to her, "So, I'm guessing Charles talked to you."

"Yeah," nodded Lizzie, "I just hope their coffee date goes well."

"Me too," agreed Darcy, quietly.

Lizzie looked at him. Surprisingly, he, too, seemed tired. His eyes weren't as noticeably dark as Charles', but the signs of lack of sleep were subtly on his face. Perhaps, he had been up debating something as well.

A new hope dawned in Lizzie. If Charles had been up thinking about Jane, had Darcy been up thinking about her?

Lizzie could always test the waters a little, "So, how long are you around for?" she said, walking to her locker to pretend she had a reason to linger.

"I leave tomorrow for New York," said Darcy, "I'm only here for one surgery."

Lizzie's heart sank, and she was thankful she had kept her back to him so he couldn't see the hurt she felt. No, he had not been thinking about her. At least not in the way she had been thinking about him.

They had kissed. Surely, it meant something, but why wasn't he bringing it up?

The answer came to her too quickly, in one word. Wickham. Maybe at one point, Darcy had been able to look past that. But with the whole Lydia and Wickham fiasco, it was understandable why he no longer could ignore it. Lizzie couldn't even blame him for it.

"You going to visit Georgie?" said Lizzie turning to him with a purposeful blank expression.

"Yes," he said, "And I have some other places to visit. I have some long-term offers to search out," he said, watching her.

"Good for you," said Lizzie awkwardly. How was she supposed to end this conversation?

Thankfully, she was spared any further awkwardness when someone else entered, addressing a question to Darcy about the surgery. Quietly, Lizzie slipped away without another word.

As she walked away, she pinched herself in annoyance. Why? Why had she allowed herself to hope that just maybe, Darcy had come back with similar intentions as Charles?

Lizzie didn't see Darcy the rest of the day and she left without telling anyone. She was anxious to avoid the awkward farewell as she struggled to mask her longing for him to stay.

The minute she was home, she changed into her pajamas and ordered Chinese takeout to comfort herself. She was shrinking deeper into a funk when she heard the door unlock and open, revealing Jane.

"Chinese takeout?"

"Oh my goodness," said Lizzie, suddenly horrified at herself for being so self-absorbed. She had completely forgotten about Jane and Charles. "Your coffee date? How was it?"

"It was fine," said Jane, dropping her coat by the door and joining Lizzie on the couch. She reached for a carton of fried, rice slipping some into her mouth.

Lizzie bit her tongue trying to be patient. Jane was revealing nothing in her chewing of Chinese food, which only fueled Lizzie's curiosity.

"Good," said Lizzie, turning to the television and turning it on. She would have to be patient. Jane would open up when she wanted to. They both munched away on Chinese food and watched the tv in silence.

Finally, Jane said simply, "We're having dinner tomorrow night."

Lizzie smiled quickly, but then hid it as she saw Jane's expression which was still blank.

"Okay."

"I just don't want you to think I caved so quickly," said Jane. "He told me about his last year and it took a long time so we didn't cover everything. He suggested we do dinner tomorrow night to finish talking."

"Seems only logical," said Lizzie, with a dangerous grin.

"I didn't cave," argued Jane, "I haven't given in. It's not a date."

"I believe you," said Lizzie, and Jane seemed satisfied as she returned to her dinner.

Inwardly, Lizzie's heart soared. They had a second date. Jane was making it hard, but Charles was up to the challenge. He was not going to let her get away this time.

It was so hard to not show happiness the next day at their relationship but Lizzie knew Jane needed to make her decision on her own without Lizzie's input which meant Lizzie needed to keep things to herself.

It proved more difficult when flowers were sent to their apartment the next day. A big, beautiful bouquet that lit up the apartment. Jane acted as though it wasn't a big deal. She, however, put them in the best vase and placed them on the kitchen table all while having a slight grin on her face only when she thought Lizzie wasn't looking.

Jane insisted she was not dressing up for the 'meeting' as she called it. But Lizzie pretended not to notice as Jane spent some time in the mirror fiddling away. Charles arrived right on time and as Jane slipped past him, Lizzie gave Charles a thumbs up pointing out the flowers.

Charles smiled and closed the door leaving Lizzie alone in the apartment. Not annoyed by this, Lizzie gleefully reached for a book before cuddling on the couch, feeling content.

Lizzie didn't watch the time as she read. By the time she finished, she yawned and stretched, reaching for her phone. It was well past midnight. Just as Lizzie was about to decide if that was a good or bad thing, she heard keys jingling and the door being unlocked.

Quickly, so she'd appear casual, Lizzie picked her book back up and reclined back into the couch.

"Hey," she called to Jane, not looking away from her book, "You're home late."

Jane didn't answer, but Lizzie heard her approach the couch. A few quiet moments passed before Jane said in a defeated, happy voice, "I caved."

Lizzie looked up to see Jane's beaming smile, before Lizzie threw her hands up and screamed loudly in pure joy. Right after she finished screaming, their neighbor yelled back telling them to be quiet.

Laughing, Lizzie pulled Jane onto the couch, "Tell me everything!"

"He told me everything that happened," explained Jane, "And, he didn't excuse anything. He begged for my forgiveness and said he was willing to do anything just to get a second chance."

"He can talk good," said Lizzie.

"Yes, he can. I already knew that from the first time, but now, it's like he got even better."

"It probably feels that way," said Lizzie, hugging a pillow, "So, what does this mean for you guys?"

"What do you mean?"

"I guess to put it simply, is he your boyfriend again?"

"Not yet. I told him I needed to end things with someone before I made things official with him."

"Oh, right," said Lizzie laughing, "I had completely forgotten about him. I even forgot his name. I guess that's telling, isn't it?"

"Lizzie, that's unkind. He's a person too."

"Yes, he is but he's not Charles Bingley," said Lizzie.

"No, he's not," purred Jane, standing up, "I'm meeting him for coffee. And after that, Charles wants to spend the day together considering we both have off. Is that okay?"

"Are you kidding? I see too much of you. I'm glad to get rid of you," said Lizzie with a grin.

"Thank you," said Jane, "I'm just a little frustrated at myself."

"Why?"

"I wish I hadn't thrown everything away. I threw away a lot of our pictures and gifts he gave me."

Lizzie gulped, "Not everything. Most of your pictures are still on your computer."

"Yes, I know. The gifts I don't really care about. I just wish I hadn't thrown away the calendar. If I had held on to it just a few more days," she moaned.

"Jane," said Lizzie, getting up from the couch, "I have a slight confession."

"What?"

Taking her sister's hand, Lizzie pulled Jane to her bedroom. Once in, Lizzie turned to Jane, "Don't get mad. But I didn't do something you told me to do."

"What was that?"

Lizzie sighed before throwing back her blankets and pillows and pulling up her mattress. Jane's mouth dropped, "The calendar?"

"I know," said Lizzie, shaking her head, "You told me to throw it away. And I didn't."

Jane reached for it and hugged it to her chest before throwing her arms around Lizzie.

"Thank you so much, Lizzie. This was the thing I was desperately wishing I still had. You're the best. I can't believe you kept it."

"I can't tell you exactly why I kept it," said Lizzie as they separated, "Probably because I've always been Team Charles."

"Thank you, Lizzie. I owe you. Anything. What do you want?"

After telling Jane she didn't need anything, Lizzie put her bed back together before climbing in for the night, even though she wasn't the least bit tired.

Lizzie was beyond happy for both Jane and Charles. But, it did cause a certain selfish side of her to groan in agony. Jane wanted to give Lizzie something she wanted. How could Lizzie tell her sister that the one thing she wanted…was in New York, forgetting she existed.


	26. Chapter 26

The next week passed quickly. Jane and Charles were officially back together, which meant dinner at the Bennet's. One can easily imagine, and those present will never forget, the screams of delight that issued from Mrs. Bennet when she discovered Charles at the door holding Jane's hand.

Lizzie was practically thrown to the side as Mrs. Bennet had lunged to hug them both. They had made her the happiest woman alive and she told them so over and over again.

Lizzie was happy for both of them but their cuteness didn't help her state of mind. How was it possible for her to be missing so strongly something that she had never had?

There was also the matter of the anonymous donor which still occupied Lizzie's brain. She found herself focusing on this issue to avoid dwelling too much on the past. Now that she had put more thought into it, she was starting to believe that it must have been the Gardiners who had been so generous. They were good friends, and had the heart to do it, but would they have really done so without saying anything? Lizzie debated broaching the subject several times and each time, she lost courage.

Finally, taking a deep breath, she approached Mrs. Gardiner,

"Want to get a cup of coffee with me?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Gardiner, "I would love too!"

They went across the road to the coffee shop and Lizzie was flooded with memories from the past year, both good and bad. The soft music calmed Lizzie's spirit as they ordered. When they took a seat, Lizzie took in a deep breath, drawing in the sweet smell of her latte.

"So, Lizzie," said Mrs. Gardiner, putting cream in her coffee, "What's wrong with my Lizzie?"

"What?" sputtered Lizzie, "Not you too! Everybody is asking me what's wrong, and nothing is!"

"Trust me, I know you well enough to know you are just a bit off. Other people can see it."

Lizzie didn't answer right away, but if she was honest, she was very ready to talk to someone about everything. She hadn't had that for a bit and it had started to show.

"I just…feel like I'm being left behind I guess," said Lizzie slowly, "Jane and Charlotte both are in serious relationships that are heading towards marriage. And I'm just here. Doing nothing."

"You're not doing nothing," said Mrs. Gardiner, "You just need to be patient. Besides, are you sure that's everything that's bothering you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if you remember back in New York, we talked about a certain fellow," said Mrs. Gardiner, carefully stirring her coffee.

"Oh that," moaned Lizzie, "I'm over that. Besides, I have a question for you."

"What's up?"

Lizzie took a deep breath, "Someone paid Wickham and Lydia's debts…and they wanted to be anonymous, but that's hard for me! I want to know who it is…and that's why I have to ask you…"

"If we did it?" said Mrs. Gardiner, "Well, I guess I can understand why you would suspect us, but it's not us, Lizzie."

"Really?"

"Yes. Really."  
Lizzie let herself fall back against her chair sighing loudly. If it wasn't them, who was it? Mrs. Gardiner studied Lizzie, and Lizzie could tell there was something more.

"What is it?" asked Lizzie, "You look like you want to say something."

"Well," said Mrs. Gardiner, "I don't know if I should be telling you this or not. But, I would want to know."

"Know what?"

"When you left for Vegas to help your family search for Lydia, my husband and I decided to leave early to go back home. We just weren't in the mood to stay. Dr. Gardiner tried calling Darcy to let him know we wouldn't be around any longer."

"Tried?"

"He couldn't get through to his cell, and when we tried to find him, we were told that he was on a flight. To Las Vegas."

"What?" cried Lizzie, fully in shock, "He was in Vegas that day?"

"Yes. When he returned my husband's call later he asked him to keep that confidential. My husband promised, which is why I haven't said anything yet, but I feel like this is too important. Besides, I never promised, so I only feel slightly guilty," admitted Mrs. Gardiner. "I'm pretty sure he was the donor, and I think it's likely that he was the one who found them in the first place."

Lizzie's brain was racing, trying to fit the pieces together. Darcy? Involving himself with Wickham? It seemed impossible, and yet... "Why wouldn't he want anyone to know?"

"Lizzie, put yourself in his place. Would you want people to know?"

It didn't take Lizzie long to decide. "No, especially since people still don't know the full backstory, which I can't tell you."

"I know Darcy and Wickham go way back," said Mrs. Gardiner, "But I don't know everything and I don't expect too. It's not my business."

"It's a dark history," admitted Lizzie, taking a large gulp of coffee.

"I'll bet," said Mrs. Gardiner, "It was enough to make you do a complete 180 on Wickham."

Lizzie mumbled an agreement, hardly hearing her anymore. Darcy. Could it really have been him? Involving himself in Wickham's affairs still seemed unlikely, but he had actually been in Las Vegas that same day. There was no way that could be a coincidence. But why? What motive could he have had? She was going to have to talk to him about it.

The next few days, Lizzie considered how she could contact Darcy, but nothing seemed right. Texting or calling him out of the blue to ask a question like that seemed ridiculous. She wasn't even supposed to know. And what if she was wrong and there was some other explanation for all this? Lizzie finally decided that she simply had to pretend she didn't know…as hard as that was for her to swallow.

Unfortunately for Lizzie, finding out who their benefactor was didn't solve anything, and only caused her to think about the situation more. And she no longer had a distraction from thoughts of Darcy. It was ironic that he was now smack dab in the middle of the one topic that she had been focusing on to keep her mind off him.

At the end of her shift a few days later, she heard the intercom telling her someone was waiting for her near the welcome desk. Confused, she washed her hands quickly and went on her way.

It was probably her mother trying to find out some information about Jane and Charles. She was proving to be even more determined than before to stick her nose where it didn't belong. Walking around the corner, Lizzie was stopped dead in her tracks.

Katherine De Bourg was standing near the desk.

As soon as Katherine saw her, she motioned to Lizzie, "Miss Bennet, how nice to see you."

"Hello," said Lizzie, walking forward feeling very confused, "Are you the one waiting for me?"

"Yes, are you on break?"

"No," said Lizzie, "I mean, yes. But no. I'm done with my shift," she explained, fumbling over her words, which caused Katherine De Bourg's brows to raise.

"Fine, I was hoping we could have a chance to chat," she said reaching into her bag and pulling on some fur gloves, "Is there someplace near here we can go?"

"Yes," said Lizzie, "The coffee shop across the way is a good spot."

"A coffee shop?" said Katherine De Bourg, clearly unimpressed, "I guess that's better than standing here. Come on then!"

"Sorry, I just need to grab my stuff. I didn't know I would be leaving right away."

"Fine. I'll wait."

Lizzie practically ran to the locker room, her brain racing. What in the world did Katherine De Bourg have to say to her? They had only been in each other's presence a few times and were certainly not friendly. Grabbing her fall coat, she flung it over herself. She checked her reflection in the mirror. She didn't look great, but who did after working a 12 hour shift?

Katherine De Bourg was still waiting in the same place, looking very diplomatic and intimidating. Lizzie briefly considered simply running away. Squaring her jaw, she greeted Katherine and off they went.

The coffee shop was not very full, and Katherine told Lizzie to pick a spot and they sat. Katherine looked around, "Where is the waiter?"

"Oh," said Lizzie, "You order at the counter here. There aren't any waiters."

"Interesting," said Katherine reaching into her purse, "Seems like a strange idea."

"I'd be happy to walk up and get something for you," said Lizzie politely, trying to bring some warmth in Katherine De Bourg's cheeks.

"I only drink tea," said Katherine, "Much healthier."

"That's right, I forgot," said Lizzie, "I'm quite addicted to coffee," she said letting out a small laugh but Katherine didn't show a hint of amusement. An awkward moment passed as Lizzie's nerves stood on end. Katherine De Bourg was studying her face closely as though there was some deep message she was trying to decipher.

After a moment, she spoke, "I suppose you're unsurprised to see me."

"No, I'm quite surprised," said Lizzie, "Not that this isn't a pleasure, but I truly never expected a visit from you."

"Is that so," said Katherine De Bourg, giving off a superior smile, "Fine, let's do it that way."

"What way?" asked Lizzie confused. Why was Katherine De Bourg acting like this? Why was she here?

"I'm not one for making small talk. I won't bother asking about your family, the weather, or any such nonsense," and she paused like she was waiting for Lizzie to say something.

"Um," said Lizzie, "Yes, small talk can be tedious," said Lizzie, unable to think of anything else to say.

"I was at my office a few days ago," said Katherine De Bourg, "And I had a meeting with your friend, William Collins. He made me aware of your sister's reattachment to Dr. Bingley."

"Yes," said Lizzie happily, "They are back together."

Katherine looked as if she disapproved of Lizzie's happiness, but she continued. "Of course, you know with whom Charles is best friends?"

"Yes," said Lizzie, feeling some foreboding in mentioning him, "Your nephew, Darcy."

"Indeed, MY nephew Dr. William Darcy," she said, menacingly, "After Collins made his statement informing me of your sister, he made another comment. He said it would not be long before two others are publically linked."

Lizzie felt her stomach drop.

"He also implied that it has been going for some time in private. So now, I ask you, Miss Bennet, have you been sleeping with my nephew?"

"What?" sputtered Lizzie.

"The question is simple, and I expect you to answer it. Are you sleeping with my nephew, William Darcy?"

Lizzie was too stunned to speak. Sleeping with Darcy? Why would Collins every say something like that? Had Charlotte said something? But, she would never say something like that. She knew Lizzie better than that.

"Your silence on this matter makes you look guilty, Miss Bennet," said Katherine De Bourg, "I must admit. I thought you an interesting character when I first met you. With even several admirable qualities," said Katherine De Bourg arrogantly. "You're hard working, opinionated, and beautiful. All good qualities for a woman. But, I tell you now, you're ambitions in this area will be unsuccessful."

"Ambitions?" asked Lizzie, coolly. She had recovered somewhat, and was fairly certain she knew what Katherine was implying.

"What could be more appealing for a woman of your circumstances than my nephew? He's bright, attractive, noble, a surgeon, and, the quality you most desire, he is rich."

Lizzie's insides squirmed with anger, but she kept her face blank.

"William is the legal beneficiary of several large inheritances. That can be of no loss to you, Miss Bennet, and that is why you seduced him."

"Excuse me-," began Lizzie, but Katherine spoke over her.

"My nephew is intelligent, and not one to be duped by such an old trick. But you," she said motioning to Lizzie, "Are a crafty, beautiful woman who clearly used this to your advantage. Now, I must know. It is impossible, but when did it start?"

"If it's impossible," said Lizzie, struggling to stay calm, "Then I wonder why you are bothering to ask me?"

"It out to be so," said Katherine De Bourg, "He would never be interested in someone so much lower than him!"

"If money is your only judge, then you are correct, I do not have anywhere near the wealth that he has, but, trust me, that is a terrible way to determine anyone's worth!"

"Your family is another objection," Katherine pushed on, ignoring Lizzie's comment. "Trust me, Collins has already informed me of your sister's Lydia's escapades. And I have been further informed of your family's complete impropriety. It is not the type of family that should ever dream of a connection with a family such as ours."

"Not one bit of that matters if Darcy does not object to it," said Lizzie, her anger fueling her courage, but still trying to maintain decorum.

"Tell me once and for all, are you sleeping with him?" demanded Katherine De Bourg, practically shouting.

Lizzie was aware of the looks they were getting, and decided she had no reason to avoid answering. "No," she said simply.

"Are you romantically involved in any way with him?"

That question was harder. Technically, they had kissed. But, nothing truly romantic had ever come of it.

"No," said Lizzie firmly, even though it was more complicated than that. She had no desire to explain any of what had happened.

Katherine's whole posture relaxed, and she nodded once in satisfaction before pulling out a sheet of paper and sliding it across the table to Lizzie.

"What is this?" asked Lizzie.

"I am pleased to hear you say there is nothing between you. But, I know my nephew thinks highly of you. Caroline Bingley expressed that freely to me when we spoke."

Lizzie snorted. Of course, Caroline would have plenty to say about Lizzie. She was also likely to blame for Katherine's knowledge of the Bennet's "impropriety."

"I am determined to protect my nephew. Sign this contract, and promise never to have any dealings with him, and I will pay you the amount shown. I'll give you the check right here and now."

Lizzie was in disbelief. She was trying to bribe her. Bribe her to stay away from Darcy simply because of a rumor she had heard. And she wanted Lizzie to believe it was for Darcy's protection.

"You're trying to buy me off?" Lizzie was sure the anger and incredulity was coming through in her voice, despite her best efforts. "You've insulted me. You've belittled my family. And frankly, you've wasted my time. I have no interest in either yours or your nephew's money. And I'm out of patience talking to you."

Lizzie shoved the paper back across the table as she stood to her feet.

"You didn't even look at the amount," said Katherine, "You want to look."

"No, I don't. It doesn't matter."

"You are making a mistake," said Katherine learning forward, "Trust me. I won't offer this again. And I'll make sure Darcy never looks at you again, regardless of what you do."

"Go for it. I'm not in contact with him anyways."

"Then why won't you sign it? If he means nothing to you, then sign it!"

"I will never sign it. And I will not promise to have nothing to do with him!"

Katherine De Bourg's face went white enough to match her coat; she opened her mouth to reply, but Lizzie beat her to it. She had all her stuff gathered, but was fed up. She figured she had nothing to lose, and had lost any reason to hold back.

"This is not about Darcy. This is about control for you. I've seen you enough to know that you thrive on control. If you had Darcy's best interests at heart, you would have found out how he truly FEELS instead of trying to buy me off," she said, starting to walk out.

Katherine called out after her, "Miss Bennet, do not think I am done. I will not be ignored!"

"NO, I will not listen to another word you have to say," said Lizzie turning around one last time, "You have insulted everything about me. My character, my family, and my financial situation. I will not give you one more minute," and off Lizzie went, but she could hear Katherine's yells of frustration behind her.  
Lizzie, before Katherine could reach her, was in a cab on her way home.

Lizzie was half afraid Katherine De Bourg would show up at the apartment, but nothing happened over the next day or two, giving Lizzie some peace. The whole situation kept blowing her mind. Katherine De Bourg had been trying to bribe her to stay away from Darcy. As if that was even an option anymore. She had missed her chance with him already, and now everything was messed up…she had to stop thinking about him.

Lizzie had been so anxious to tell Jane about the visit, but upon consideration, she decided she couldn't. Jane would tell Charles. Charles would tell Darcy…and the thought of that was beyond awkward. Lizzie couldn't imagine Darcy and her talking about how his aunt accused her of seducing him and then bribed her. The whole thought gave Lizzie physical chills.

Mr. Bennet called her out of the blue, asking if she wanted to go to the batting cage with him. She readily agreed. She was in desperate need of a distraction, and it had been awhile since they had had a good father-daughter date. It was also a great way to get some of her built up frustration out of her system without anyone really knowing anything was wrong.

Mr. Bennet went first and once he was finished, they traded places as he stretched and groaned, "I never feel my age quite so much as when I try something like this. It's hard to have proper form when all your muscles are squeaking and protesting."

"You did just fine," laughed Lizzie, "I don't know if my form has ever been correct."

"Nonsense. You had a good teacher," he said with a mock bow. "I made sure you knew how to stand when you were in t-ball. You haven't forgotten, even though you gave up softball in favor of soccer."

"Sorry, pops. I was better with my feet then my hands," said Lizzie as the first ball flew towards her. She pictured several different faces on the ball as she swung and made perfect contact.

"Nice hit," said Mr. Bennet, "I think your coach would be disappointed now if he saw you hit. Have you been coming here without me?"

"Nope!" said Lizzie hitting another solidly, "This was the only part of softball I could do, if you remember."

Mr. Bennet was silent for the next couple of hits and then he laughed, "I forgot to tell you. Mr. Collins told me something amusing."

"Why are you talking to Collins? The guy's a creep!"

"Just had a few lawyer-type questions about Lydia," said Mr. Bennet, "And he does have some competence in that area. Anyways, he made the most incredible insinuation in his last email. Something about you and Darcy!"

"What?" cried Lizzie, completely missing the ball and spinning around to stare at her father.

"Yes," said Mr. Bennet laughing, "He said it wouldn't be long before both my eldest daughters were in serious relationships. And Lizzie, I'm surprised at you. He mentioned you even talked to Katherine De Bourg about it. The way he talks, she's practically divine. So, did she take a trip out here just to talk about your dating life, or was Collins mistaken?"

The laughter in his voice made it clear he found the entire circumstance a joke. He didn't believe what he was asking for a moment. Lizzie forced out a hearty laugh in response, and turned back to focus on the next pitch. She loved her father's sense of humor, but dearly wished it was focused somewhere else.

"And to think that he'd pair you up with Darcy," her father continued. "Darcy who never looked at you twice, and whom you've always disliked. What a world we live in? Eh? Lizzie?"

Lizzie put on a fake smile as her father looked at her, "Yes. Funny world. Always funny how things turn out."

"You should have told me you were going batting with dad," said Jane as they both walked into work, "I would have loved to go. Charles would have too!"

"It was a last minute thing," said Lizzie, "He literally called me as he was getting ready to go."

"Call me next time," said Jane, "Charles is looking for ways to spend time with him!"

"Ooohhh," wooed Lizzie, "Looking for ways to be alone with him to ask a certain question!"

"No, actually he just wants to get to know him better. Every time, we're at the house…well, mom kind of takes center stage."

"Say no more," said Lizzie, knowingly, "Impossible to get to know anyone else if mom is present."

They walked into the main hospital entrance laughing. They both greeted several coworkers and went on their way to the locker room. As they left, Lizzie was floored by a sight she was not expecting.

Darcy. Darcy was talking to Dr. Gardiner.

Without warning, she seized Jane and pulled her away into the stairwell, "What in the world?" whispered Lizzie frantically, "What is he doing here?"

"I don't know," said Jane, "I didn't know he was coming!"

Lizzie looked at her closely, unconvinced, and Jane pleaded, "I swear. I didn't know! I would have told you!"

"Charles must not have known then," said Lizzie, "So, he's not here to see Charles."

"Maybe," said Jane, hesitant to continue, "He's here to see-"

"No. He's not," said Lizzie, firmly.

"You never know," said Jane, "Lizzie, we know he liked you."

"Liked. Past tense," said Lizzie, "Besides, I think I know why he's here."

"Why?"

"Katherine De Bourg came to see me."

Jane's expression blew up and so did her voice, "WHAT? WHEN?"

Exasperated, Lizzie pulled her sister further down a few floors before speaking again, "A few days ago."

"What did she want?"

"Uh," said Lizzie fiddling with her pony tail, she hadn't planned telling Jane this, "Just wanted some information."

"On what?"

"Darcy."

"What about Darcy?"

"Just some of his activities."

"Why are you being purposefully vague?" said Jane, her brows furrowed, "That's what you do when you're hiding something."

"Fine. I'll tell you. She wanted to know if I'm sleeping with Darcy. I told her no. She then tried to pay me off to never see him again. Then we screamed some, and I ran away in a cab."

Jane looked too dumbfounded to say much, but she did manage, "She tried to bribe you?"

"Yes," said Lizzie, "I don't know how much. I didn't look at the paper."

"Probably smart…or stupid. We could have been rich."

"What? Jane, you never would have taken that money!"

"No, but I'm just saying you're not dating him anyway so…"

"Goodness Jane, I know you're joking, but this is hardly the time," said Lizzie, impatiently.

"This is what you always do. Crack jokes," said Jane, "And when I do, it's completely inappropriate and bad timing!"

"What am I supposed to do?" cried Lizzie, just ignoring Jane's comment, "He's here. And that means, eventually, I'll have to talk to him. How embarrassing," moaned Lizzie, digging her nails into her scalp.

"Maybe you should just get it over with then," said Jane, "Just go up there and say hello and keep walking. Just get that first interaction over with!"

"Nope!" said Lizzie standing, "Not happening!"

Suddenly, the door next to them opened, revealing Mrs. Gardiner.

"Oh, hi girls! Just who I was looking for. Lizzie, one of our nurses called in sick for Dr. Gardiner's surgery today. It's an all-day surgery. Can you scrub in?"

"Yes!" said Lizzie jumping to her feet, "It's a closed one, right? No one can come in?"

"No," said Mrs. Gardiner, raising an eyebrow, "Were you hoping to invite a guest?"

"Hardly. Just wanted to be sure. Are we starting now?"

"In just a few minutes actually, you probably want to head down there!"

"Will do!" said Lizzie practically skipping, and she quickly ran off to take the long, scenic route to the surgery just to make sure she avoided anyone and was gone before either of them could say anything else.

"She's knows he's here, right?" Mrs. Gardiner asked Jane.

"Yes," said Jane, "And you just gave her the perfect way to avoid him."

"Avoid him? Should I have mentioned that Dr. Fitzwilliam is assisting on the surgery?"

Jane looked horrified, "You left that out on purpose, didn't you?"

"Jane, I'm a complete professional," said Mrs. Gardiner, "How dare you accuse me of that?" She gave a sweet, innocent smile, and left.


	27. Chapter 27

Lizzie was thrilled at her luck as she entered the surgery room. This was not part of her usual routine, but she had been trained for it in case she was ever needed.

She stepped back and waited for instructions and talked with the other nurses happily. This was great! For twelve whole hours, she didn't have to worry about anything.

Dr. Gardiner came in with his usual smile and he checked with a few people before beginning.

The first couple of hours flew by and Lizzie had forgotten about Darcy completely until she heard Dr. Gardiner's voice, "Can someone page Dr. Fitzwilliam please? I'm just about done here so his part is coming soon."

Lizzie's stomach dropped as she looked at the nurse in charge who sent the page.

Dr. Fitzwilliam as in Darcy? He was assisting? Suddenly, she remembered seeing Darcy and Dr. Gardiner talking this morning. No doubt, they had been discussing this particular surgery. How could she have been so stupid?

What could she do? She couldn't leave now without totally abandoning her responsibilities, and most likely getting herself fired.

She would have to act calm and professional.

Darcy came only too soon. Thankfully, he didn't even acknowledge her, and Lizzie realized he was in surgeon mode. She had never actually seen him in surgery before. All the warmness was gone, and the only thing left was sheer concentration.

It was almost like everything else disappeared and Lizzie was in awe when she saw his work on the monitors. His skill was incredible. Every movement was so precise, Lizzie knew now why he was so sought after.

Lizzie didn't even realize hours had passed when Darcy pulled back, "That should do it on my end. If you could close up, I would appreciate it," he said to another surgeon, and they stepped in. He left without even a glance in her direction. Had he even noticed she was there?

It stung for a moment that he didn't even acknowledge her, but Lizzie decided that was what she wanted. She wanted him to treat her the way he treated everyone.

Well, that's what she would eventually convince herself she wanted.

Once finished, Lizzie was exhausted. She left the room and went straight to the locker room. When she opened it, there was a text from Jane telling her she had already left. No problem, she would take the subway. Lizzie was actually thankful for the chance to completely block out the world.

She had in her headphones, and when she boarded the subway, she closed her eyes and leaned back, letting the music clear away her racing thoughts. She soon reached the feeling she loved, when she was so immersed in the songs, that she felt totally alone and secure. That feeling abruptly vanished and she jumped in her seat when she felt someone tap her on the arm. Opening her eyes, she saw it was Darcy.

Shocked, Lizzie tried pulling out her headphones quickly, only to tangle them in her hair.

"Hi," said Lizzie, trying to not think about how ridiculous she looked as she fidgeted to untangle her hair from the headphones, "What are you doing here?"

"Hello," he said, looking nervous, "Um, I was hoping to catch you on here. I saw you at the hospital, but you ducked away and then I couldn't talk to you in the surgery without being very unprofessional."

"Oh," said Lizzie, feeling the embarrassment come in and taking a large gulp, "I wasn't avoiding you. It just happened that way," she lied, not meeting his eyes.

"Okay," he said knowingly, before looking away from her for the first time. "My aunt called me."

Lizzie groaned and put her face in her hands, "I can only imagine what she told you. I'm so sorry, Darcy."

He looked back at her, surprised, "Why are you apologizing? I'm the one who should apologize. My aunt…well, she told me what she did and I'm so ashamed, Lizzie. She's, err, a tad…controlling."

"Oh, don't worry about it," said Lizzie, wanting to change the topic as quickly as possible.

"Lizzie, come on. Please accept my apology."

"I accept it," said Lizzie, leaning forward, "But, you really shouldn't be apologizing. It's not like you told her to come here, right?"

"Right. But she is still my aunt."

"Believe me, no one should be judged by their family. I know that better than anyone, Darcy."

He grew quiet after that, and Lizzie realized that comment could be taken the wrong way.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that to bring up any old arguments. I just meant I wouldn't judge you for your family," pleaded Lizzie.

"I know," he said, "I just feel bad I ever thought that way about Jane and you."

Lizzie didn't know what to say after that and silence came. Neither of them could look at one another.

So badly, Lizzie wanted to bring up Lydia. She had yearned for a chance to talk to him. She was almost positive he was responsible for paying the debt and finding Lydia, but she wanted to know. Here went nothing.

"Darcy, I need to know something."

"Yes?"

"Was it you who paid Wickham's debts?"

Darcy looked surprised, then frowned slightly, "Who told you?"

"So, you did."

Darcy closed his eyes and sighed, leaning back. He didn't say anything, so Lizzie pressed on.

"Look," she said, knowing she just needed to get it out, "I know that wasn't a small amount of money and I wanted to, err, thank you. I am so thankful for what you did. Thank you."

"You weren't supposed to know," he said quietly.

"I didn't for sure," said Lizzie, "But once I suspected, I had to know. I wanted to know why you did it.

Darcy turned to give her a puzzled look right as the subway reached Lizzie's station. She froze unsure what to do.

They looked at each other awkwardly, and Lizzie fumbled saying, "This is my stop."

"Yeah," was all he said at first, and Lizzie's heart sank as she rose to her feet. She was starting to turn away when he spoke again. "Want to get some coffee?"

Relief flooded through her, "Yes."

The short walk to the coffee shop felt both longer and shorter than usual for Lizzie. They didn't resume their conversation until both of them brought their coffee to a small table in the corner.

"You weren't supposed to know," he said again, breaking the silence as he stirred cream into his coffee, "Who else knows?"

"No one," said Lizzie quickly, "Err, except Mrs. Gardiner, and she only suspects. She doesn't know for sure."

"Ah, so that's how you found out."

"Yes, but please don't be mad at her. I'm so thankful that I get the chance to thank you," said Lizzie, "Now, I know who my family is indebted to."

"I didn't want you to feel indebted to me, Lizzie! That was never what this was about. I was only taking care of something I should have taken care of a long time ago," he said, some frustration showing.

Realization sunk in for Lizzie, "You mean Wickham?"

He nodded slowly and took a drink before speaking, "When everything with Georgie happened. I wanted to kill him, Lizzie. I really did."

"I know," said Lizzie, "I don't think any brother would have felt any differently."

"Georgie made me promise I wouldn't do anything," he continued, "And I didn't. I gave him that money my father had left for him without any care in the world. I should have been smarter than that."

"What do you mean?"

"I've now arranged a fund for him."

"You're giving him more money?" said Lizzie angrily, "Why in the world would you give that sicko more money?"

"To protect Lydia. The only way to keep him away from your sister, and the rest of your family as well, was to make a deal with him."

Lizzie felt her anger vanish as quickly as it had come. Of course. Lydia would have gone away with him again in a minute, and Wickham was not one to resist such easy pickings.

"There are strings, Lizzie," Darcy continued, "First, the money is conditional on his remaining employed. I got him a job. His salary, and the fund I've added to it, are enough to keep him in line, but limited enough he'll have to be careful with how he spends it."

"Okay."

"He also is required to meet with a psychiatrist."

"Really?"

"Yes," said Darcy, "Once a week. And if he skips out on it, he loses access to the money."

"Wow, I bet he loves that."  
"He didn't have much choice when I met with him in Vegas," said Darcy. "I gave him two options. He could accept my deal, with all the conditions intact, or my family's firm would scour his past until we had evidence to send him to jail. He tried to weasel more money out of it, but he gave in when I wouldn't budge. I've also got a private investigator keeping an eye on him. There won't be any more Georgies or Lydias."

"You're thorough," said Lizzie, "Thank you. Truly, I owe you so much."

"You don't owe me anything, Lizzie," Darcy insisted. "If I had dealt with him earlier, your family would never have had to go through any of this. It was only right for me to do this. Maybe it's a start in making up for the way I acted in the beginning."

"Darcy," said Lizzie, shaking her head, "You don't have to make up for anything."

"Yes, I do," he said leaning towards her, "Lizzie, I did some awful things. And truly, I should have taken care of Wickham sooner than I did but my pride stopped me. I did this to try to make things right. You don't owe me anything. I need to hear you say that."

Lizzie sighed, and he only frowned at her and said her name again.

"Fine," said Lizzie, "I get that there was some unfinished business with Wickham, but I still feel as though I should pay you back for Lydia's debts."

"I didn't do this for Lydia," Darcy said, emotion rising in his voice. "I didn't do any of this for your family. I thought only of you. I did it only for you."

Lizzie wanted to reply, but she had no idea what to say. They looked at each awkwardly for a moment before Darcy put his hands together.

"Lizzie," he said nervously, "I know I said I wanted to be friends. And I do." He met her gaze, and she could see him steel himself to continue. "But, my feelings haven't changed. In fact, they've only grown, because it was more than just attraction. We actually communicated and connected."

Lizzie was too in shock to say anything.

"I know this situation is complicated, because we are going to be in each other's lives. With Charles and Jane, we'll see each other and the last thing I want to do is make things awkward. So, I decided we would be friends, but then, err, we kissed."

Lizzie took a drink of coffee feeling her cheeks redden.

"I have to know, is there a chance? I promise you, if you say no, I'll never bring it up again and we'll still be friends. No hard feelings. But please tell me, are your feelings the same as before?"

She couldn't believe it, he had come back, just like Bingley, "My feelings," she began, and she could feel him tighten, "I'm actually ashamed of what I thought of you before."

"Lizzie, I don't blame you," he started, but she silenced him with a wave of her hand, and then she took his hands, feeling confident.

"Let me get this out," she said, "I am sorry for before. I misjudged you. And, my feelings…are quite the opposite of what they were last year."

That moment Lizzie felt Darcy's hands tighten underneath hers and his face was blank. Lizzie smiled hoping to see some kind of emotion but instead he looked shocked.

"Are you sure?"

"What?" She laughed, unable to hide her shock at his statement, "Of course, I'm sure."

"It's just," he said shaking his head in disbelief, "I honestly didn't think you were going to say that."

"Trust me," she said, unable to look at him, "There was a time when I hated you. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," he said, leaning forward, "I get it. I was a jerk."

"I think we both had our moments."

Lizzie found as soon as their eyes locked, she was unable to look away. She had never felt this way about any guy. No other guy had drawn those kind of butterflies that soared everywhere and not just her stomach. She could have sat there for hours, just looking at him.

But, that would have been weird for everyone else.

"So," said Darcy squeezing her hands, "Want to get dinner with me?"

"Yes," said Lizzie, too quickly, "Sorry, I probably seem too eager."

"Don't apologize. I'm just as eager as you are."

They went to dinner and talked for hours about nothing and everything. Lizzie was curious to hear his side of things.

"I know we kissed, but you never brought it up," he said, ruefully.

"I was waiting for you to say something," said Lizzie, with a laugh, "I didn't want to look like an idiot."

"Look at it from my end, I had already gotten rejected once. You can't blame my hesitation in bringing it up a second time."

"When you came back with Charles," said Lizzie curiously, "Did you think about saying anything then?"

"Yes," he said, smiling, "I almost did in the locker room, but I wasn't getting any signal from you that you wanted me to stay. You were very intense, if you recall."

"I asked you about your plans. I was hoping you'd talk about staying, but you seemed to be wanting to leave," argued Lizzie, while still laughing with glee, "So, we were both playing it cool hoping the other would say something. NO wonder!"

"I'm just glad I worked up the courage to meet you on the subway."

"What made you come back, anyway? I wasn't sure you'd ever be back."

Darcy sighed, "When I talked to my aunt, I was so embarrassed about the whole thing. I thought there was no way I could ever face you, but something my aunt stayed with me."

"What?"

"She said you wouldn't promise to not have anything to do with me."

"Oh." Lizzie blushed a bit at the memory.

"Yeah. Even if you were trying to annoy her, I hoped it was enough to show you hadn't completely decided against me. It was a glimmer, enough to get me back here."

"I was in shock when I saw you," said Lizzie taking a bite of her food, "And then I thought you didn't even see me in the OR. I was disappointed."

"Believe me, I knew you were in there," said Darcy, making Lizzie's heart soar by the way he said it, "I don't think I've ever struggled with maintaining professionalism in a surgery before. You made it difficult, and I pride myself on my professionalism while working. You know that."

"Yes, I do," said Lizzie, "Besides, I would have been mad if you had declared yourself right then and there."

Darcy laughed, "Dr. Gardiner would only have been too pleased."

"Along with his wife, who conveniently didn't tell me you were assisting on the surgery."

"Really? Man, I was hoping you were there trying to spend time with me," said Darcy, teasingly.

"No," said Lizzie shaking her head, "I was avoiding you because I was embarrassed by my conduct with your aunt."

"It feels like a lot of things could have been avoided if we had just been honest with each other," said Darcy, sadly, "We could have skipped so much of this nonsense. I've spent many hours thinking about if I had acted differently the first time we met…how different everything could have been."

Lizzie thought about that for a moment, "I think it's better this way. We don't have to worry about each other seeing our flaws. We've already seen each other at our worst. And speaking of at our worst, I'm curious. With how everything started out between us, how in the world did you change your mind and start falling for me?"

It was Darcy's turn to ponder. "That's so long ago. I don't recall exactly. I was well past the start of liking you before I even realized it myself. I know it must have been quite early on though. I think your lively spirit…"

"You mean impertinence," interrupted Lizzie, grinning. "I wondered if that might have helped. I was never quite so fawning and fake as most women seem to be with you." A thought occurred to her. "So, you were interested in me even before the ski trip?"

"Definitely," Darcy replied. "That's why I was trying to find ways to spend time with you, but nothing seemed to work."

"That's what you were doing?" Lizzie laughed yet again. "I thought for sure you just thought I was an idiot, and that was why you were trying to teach me so many different things. It never crossed my mind you were looking for ways to spend time with me."

They talked for hours, of Jane and Charles, of the visit to Pemberley, of past mistakes, and of future joy. Lizzie had gotten just a glimpse of this side of Darcy back at the Derbyshire convention. She could hardly believe it was the same man she had first seen at that party. It felt like a lifetime ago. And now…

"So, what are we going to tell people?"

"What do you mean?" asked Darcy.

"I mean, err, are you my boyfriend?"

Darcy looked surprised, "I certainly thought so. Unless, you weren't thinking that," he said looking disappointed.

"No," said Lizzie laughing, "I just didn't want to be thinking something different. Plus, I don't look forward to telling people. Not because I'm ashamed of you. More I'm ashamed of myself."

"Lizzie," he said, taking her hands again, "Don't worry about that."

"No, Darcy, you don't get it," said Lizzie letting her embarrassment show, "I talked…badly about you."

"I know."

"You know?"

"Yes," said Darcy, "And that's okay. I have some hills to climb and that's okay. I was already planning on talking to your father."

"Wait, why? I don't need his permission to date you. It's not the 19th century."

"Lizzie," he said laughing, "I know you're not a piece of property. But, I also know how much you mean to your father."

This was true. Her father and she had always been close.

"Call me old fashioned, but I still want your father's blessing. Simply, because I want you and him to remain in good terms. And, I know he doesn't think the greatest of me. Plus, I see the way he  
looks at you. He treasures you. You're his little girl."

"I'm not little anymore," said Lizzie firmly, despite the warmness in her heart.

"No," said Darcy, "But, I would still like to talk to him."

Lizzie debated this. She tried to picture walking up to her home with Darcy and showing him to Mrs. Bennet. She shuttered at the thought.

"I know, I will also have some work to do with your mom."

"Can you read my thoughts?"

"No, just a logical guess."

"Yeah," said Lizzie sighing, "She doesn't like you."

"My own fault," said Darcy, "Like I said, some hills have to be climbed. But, as long as I'm fighting for you, I am willing to do anything."

Lizzie's heart once again soared and without any shyness of being in a crowded restaurant, she leaned over and kissed him.

"Are you out of your mind?" cried Mr. Bennet, "You hate him!"

Mr. Bennet was currently standing and scolding her from behind his desk and all Lizzie could do was sit and wait for him to finish.

"You said you hated him! Now, you tell me he's your boyfriend and he wants to talk to me sometime!"

"Yes, dad," said Lizzie calmly, "He knows that we've had a complicated past and he just wants to start out on a good foot."

"Like he can," said Mr. Bennet, "Lizzie, what changed? Goodness, I knew daughters were complicated, but this is too much."

"Dad," said Lizzie, "Calm down and let me talk."

"Fine," he said sitting in his chair and folding his hands clearly still aggravated, "What's changed? Brick on the head?"

"No," said Lizzie laughing, "It just changed. I don't know how to explain it."

"Try."

He looked so intimidating and Lizzie still couldn't explain what had happened clearly. She had tried with Jane who knew her better than anyone, but it still didn't make complete sense. Now, to explain it to her father…was basically impossible.

"Look, dad. For awhile, I hated him. Then, I found out what really happened with Wickham and him. I realized…Wickham was the man I hated. Darcy, somehow, it seemed to change from hate to….errr."

"Love?" provided her father, without much facial expression.

"Yes."

"So, you love him?"

"I know it's fast," said Lizzie standing up and approaching her father, "Frankly, I haven't even told him I love him yet but, it's not far off from me doing so, dad. He's truly the best man I've ever known. He's shown me my flaws and…he's made me a better person. Somehow, we just fit. I don't know how to explain it. I didn't always feel that way about him but now, I love him more than anyone."

Mr. Bennet wasn't speaking, so Lizzie kept going. She was on fire.

"So, you are going to meet with him and be pleasant! I don't care what I've said before. You're going to toss all that out and give him a fair chance!"

"Oh, I am, am I?"

"Yes," Lizzie said firmly, giving her father the toughest face she could.

Mr. Bennet was quiet for a long time, but after a while, he motioned for her to sit back in the chair she had started in.

"My Lizzie," he said as she sat, "You have to understand how painful it is for a father to let go of his daughter."

Lizzie looked at her father, surprised. All the frustration was gone. Now, all that was left a mixture of sad and happiness.

"Dad? What do you mean?"

Mr. Bennet shrugged, "Call it an inkling, but I'm guessing this relationship is the one to take you away from me."

Lizzie didn't say anything. Was Darcy the one? And without much thought, she knew, just as her father did, he was the one. Just like Jane, she had found her one.

"I'll meet with him, Lizzie," said Mr. Bennet quietly, "But, you have to allow me a moment of toughness. A father needs that before letting his daughter go!"

Lizzie got up and around the desk before hugging her father closely, "I know. But, it's not like I'm getting married yet, dad."

"Notice the yet," said Mr. Bennet, "You're already thinking about it. You always know when you've met the one."

Yes, Darcy was the one.

"Alright, then," he said pushing her away gently, "I'm fine. Just send the boy here."

"I figured you'd meet him somewhere else…I don't want him to do both parents at once."

"Ah, you do love him," said Mr. Bennet, "Hiding him from Mrs. Bennet is the greatest love you can bestow."

Epilogue, 8 months later

"Blast it," said Darcy, kicking at the sand furiously with his shoes, "Why did Charles and Jane have to have the wedding on a beach? They could have picked anywhere in the world and they picked a beach?"

"I think it's romantic," said Lizzie, walking along with beach at sunset. She and Darcy were grabbing Charles and Jane's luggage to place in the limo. As best man and maid of honor, it was their duty to guard the luggage carefully. This meant a walk through the sand.

"Yes, romantic," said Darcy, "Everyone kicking sand out of their shoes."

"I agree it's not where I would have picked," said Lizzie, "But it fits them."

"That it does," he agreed gloomily from behind her.

"Cheer up, Will," she said, "You'll never have to set foot on sand if you want after this. You've done your duty. Oh, crap!"

"What's wrong?" asked Darcy.

"I dropped one of my earrings," said Lizzie furiously, "I loved those! It's a rarity to actually LIKE the dress and jewelry when you're in the wedding party, and of course, I lose one of the earings!

She turned around and began looking in the sand, passing Darcy as she did so.

"Lizzie, you are never going to find them in the sand. They are lost!"

"I might if I just retrace my steps," said Lizzie, looking around, "And you can help me!"

"Help you look all though the sand for an earring? Yeah, not going to happen," he said, laughing.

"Will," said Lizzie wining, "I love these earrings."

"I'll buy you another pair."

"Wasteful," said Lizzie, now getting down in the sand digging around furiously.

"Lizzie," he said, but she didn't turn to look at him.

"I know you just think we can buy things new, but I still like to be frugal," said Lizzie, still looking, "Consider yourself lucky, I don't just spend your money carelessly."

"Lizzie," he said again, a little louder.

She ignored him, "I know it's just an earring to you but it's a memory for me. It was my sister's wedding."

"Lizzie," he said, louder this time.

"What?" she said, standing and spinning around only to find him…on his knees with a small box.

"What are you doing?"

"I know," he said shrugging, "We were going to wait till the wedding was over, so we didn't steal their spotlight, but…I couldn't wait any longer."

"You hate the sand," said Lizzie, her tears welling up, "And now you're kneeling in it and proposing."

"Totally worth it," he said, teasingly, "You'll just have make it up to me somehow."

"Will," she said, and she shrunk to the sand and began to cry with her head in her hands.

He moved to her, and pulled her face up so he could see her. He wiped away her tears, "Lizzie, I love you and you're my best friend. You've shown me my faults and loved me despite them. You've helped me to grow and made me the happiest I've ever been in my entire life."

Lizzie sobbed harder, "I didn't think I would cry like this. Here you are, talking all wonderful and I'm snorting and wailing like an idiot."

"You look beautiful, Lizzie," he said kissing one of the tears on her cheek, "I love you, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

"Yes," she sobbed, "Wait, you didn't open the box?"

"No," he said, "Is your yes based on the ring?"

"No," she laughed, "I just want to see it!"

He opened it slowly, "It's a family ring. My mother and grandmother wore it."

Lizzie did love it, and she was so honored to wear something with such history. She put it on and the tears started once more.

She hugged him, and he held her there for a long time, then kissed her. This kiss was special. It was a promise to love each for forever.

"Wait," said Lizzie, breaking if off, "The luggage!"

"Wow, your mind sometimes," he said laughing and he stood pulling her to her feet as well, "Let's get them their luggage so they can go on their honeymoon."

They picked the suitcases back up and began walking again, but Lizzie couldn't stop looking at her hand, the round sparkling diamond made her squeal with delight.

"Those earrings seem like nothing now," said Lizzie admiring it.

"Good, I was hoping that giving you more jewelry would save me from having to dig around in the sand."

"Don't think I've forgotten about them," said Lizzie, and he moaned slightly, "Wait, I can't wear this yet," she said stopping and holding up her hand.

"Why not?"

"Because the whole point in waiting was not to take away from their wedding, and if we show up with a ring now, we'll be doing just that."

"Okay, you're right," he said, "Give it back and I'll put it in the box."

"What? No!" she cried, pulling her hand away, "I just got it and now you want to take it away?"

"I thought you said you couldn't wear it."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I don't want it," said Lizzie. "What if I just slide it onto my necklace?"

"Like no one is going to notice it there," said Darcy, "Please, just put it in your purse when we get there. You don't want to lose it, right?"

"I guess. Also, we don't tell anyone until after they are back from their honeymoon."

"Agreed."

Just as they arrived, the limo driver took the luggage and loaded it. They had been gone longer than they realized because Charles and Jane were getting ready to leave and Jane waved at Lizzie from a distant sending kisses.

"Wait," said Lizzie, grabbing her purse, "I have to talk to Jane," she said sprinting towards them.

She caught Jane just as she was about to get into the limo and pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, have a great honeymoon," said Lizzie quietly, "I love you so much!"

"I love you too," said Jane, "I'm so excited! I'll see you in two weeks!"

Hearing two weeks, Lizzie knew she couldn't wait. She reached for a purse while whispering, "Promise me you can keep a secret."

"Yes, well, except from Charles."

"Of course you can tell him," said Lizzie, putting her hand in her purse and placing the ring on her finger so only Jane could see it.

Jane's smile was as bright as the sun and she clung to Lizzie trying to conceal her happiness, "Congrats!"

"Thanks, don't tell anyone," said Lizzie barely able to speak through Jane's tight embrace, "I'm not ready for mom to know yet."

"I know," said Jane, "I love you! Goodbye!"

"Bye! I love you too!" And she waved her sister away. Most people followed the limo cheering and waving. Lizzie, however, took the ring off and slipped it back into her purse before anyone could see.

She felt Darcy's arms come around her from behind, "You told her, didn't you?"

"Yes," Lizzie whispered, "I couldn't help it."

"That's okay," he said, "I told Georgie!"

"We can't tell anyone else," said Lizzie, "My mother will find out and then we can't go back once she realizes she's got another wedding she can plan."

"I don't mind," he said laughing, "It makes her happy."

"You make me so happy," said Lizzie, "I love you!"

"I love you too."

She leaned against him, completely content, and watched the limo drive off into the sunset.


End file.
